100 Days of Darkness
by setr
Summary: The sea witch and the demon hunter... things should be interesting. 100 theme challenge for Nami and Zoro I do not own the characters I simply borrow
1. Confrontation

Title: Confrontation  
Theme: 086 - Seeing Red  
Rating: T  
Words: 401  
Summary: Nami gets into a confrontation when they are out at a pub.

* * *

Nami was furious; completely over the top cantankerous. This wasn't like when the boys were being loud, or when one of her maps was ruined. Compared to this, those times were simply mild irritations. Her body was shivering with held in rage; her vision shaded red. Her back was against the wall but she could only hold back so much longer before she did something.

Her eyes were on her enemy, watching from across the room as she moved closer to her nakama. When the bitch's eyes landed on the green-haired swordsman Nami's control snapped and she pushed herself off of the wall. She stalked forward, pulling out her Clima-Tact as she moved, twirling it around her fingers at the ready. She stopped just behind the girl – _slutty, evil bitch_ – and slammed the end of her Clima-Tact against the floor. It hit with enough force that combined with the aura she was giving off the girl noticed Nami's presence and turned around.

"Do you mind?" she sneered.

"Actually, yes I do." Nami replied icily.

"I saw him first." The heavily made up girl whispered fiercely.

"Wrong. I saw him first, years ago. He will _never _be anything to you because he is mine. And unless you want to get your skanky ass kicked I suggest you back away from _my_ man and get the hell out of my sight."

Electricity was sparking from the Clima-Tact as she spoke and she vaguely noticed the other crew members taking a step back. Even Zoro looked a little frightened but Nami didn't back down any and continued to glare at the girl. For her part, she seemed to realize Nami was serious and with as much dignity as she could muster – not much – she backed away; looking for someone else to sidle up to. It wasn't until Nami was satisfied she wouldn't be coming back that she disabled the Clima-Tact, securing it against her thigh once again.

She turned back around to look at Zoro and simply shrugged when he raised an eyebrow. Her anger had faded away and the confrontation had her buzzing with adrenaline. She reached up to grab a fistful of Zoro's t-shirt, using her hold on the material to yank him down to her level. Her mouth was hot on his and he eagerly returned the kiss. He kissed her deeply until the only red she was seeing was passion.


	2. The Power of Words

Title: The Power of Words  
Theme: 84 - Out Cold  
Rating: T  
Words: 429  
Summary: His words didn't just surprise her they knocked her out.

* * *

Nami was in her map room; working on one of her countless maps no doubt. Zoro had seen her disappear into the room over an hour ago and ever since he had been debating as to whether he should go in or not. His heart was beating erratically like he had just finished a particularly intense training session and though he was loathe to admit it his palms were the faintest bit damp. He ran his hands through his short hair roughly, just short of pacing outside her room. Finally he took a deep breath and with his hands at his sides he practically marched over to her door, raising one _definitely not_ shaking hand to knock.

"Come in." Nami called out from behind the door.

Zoro nodded to himself and pushed the door open, walking in with his head held high any nervousness securely hidden from his eyes. Nami was bent over her desk a pencil in her hand and her brow furrowed slightly as she studied the parchment in front of her. After a moment she made a few marks then looked up to see who had come in.

"Zoro? What do you want?"

This was it; this was the chance to say what he had to. He took a step closer to the navigator who was watching him curiously. He didn't fault her for looking at him like he had gone crazy. Zoro almost never came into the map room, relationship or not. He knew better than to disturb her when she was working and knew all too well the price of ruining one of her creations so it was best to just avoid the room.

He took another deep breath letting the fresh intake of oxygen course through his lungs and calms his heart some. Nami had stood up from her desk now and was approaching him with a bit of concern. Fists clenched at his sides he finally blurted it out.

"Nami, you love me and I love you so marry me."

Nami's caramel eyes widened in shock at his words; not too surprising they had after all never exchanged I love yous before. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could get a word out her eyes were losing focus and Zoro watched as the colour drained from her face. He barely had time to register what was happening before she was crumpling to the ground and it was reflexes alone that allowed him to catch her falling figure.

Well that wasn't exactly the reaction he had been hoping for.


	3. Measuring Up

Title: Measuring Up  
Theme: 40 - Rated  
Rating: M  
Words: 884  
Summary: Zoro is curious how he rates

* * *

A soft breeze brushed across her flushed skin doing little to abate the fire that raged within. Each touch stroked the flames higher into a more intense desire and sweet shivers rushed across her skin in anticipation and delight. Her nipples were hard against the arousing friction of her lace bra and she couldn't remember the last time she had gotten so turned on before losing any clothing. Zoro's hands were warm and rough against her skin as they trailed down slender arms and dug into the hair at the nape of her neck. Nami moaned as he yanked her head back exposing the slender column of her throat to his hungry mouth.

His teeth dragged across the tender skin causing her to cry out and grab at the back of his head, her fingers curling into the short green strands. She held his mouth to her neck as her other hand scratched at his back through the thin fabric of his white t-shirt. Her own back was pressed against the solid wood of the ship's mast and she leaned heavily into it to keep from slipping to the ground. Zoro moved back up to her mouth, capturing hers in a rough kiss as he dragged her body closer, fitting a knee between her legs. Zoro grabbed her hips and pulled her forward, up his thigh, the friction and pressure making her even wetter. The muscles in his thigh clenched, stimulating her further and she whimpered into his mouth.

"Bedroom. Now." Nami rasped.

Zoro lifted her up further and she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist rubbing her breasts against his chest and nibbling on his earlobe. Zoro growled as she continued her ministrations and the hand that supported the majority of her weight squeezed her ass in appreciation. Out of the corner of her eye Nami could see the magazine she had been reading spread open on the deck. The magazine that had started it all.

Nami had been reading her magazine enjoying the peace on deck when she had felt his presence. The shadow over her had arrived a moment later and she had ignored him to continue reading the article. She could tell he was looking over her reading material and was bound to make a comment but she didn't care. Sometimes you just had to play with fire.

"Does your man measure up? What kind of crap are you reading woman?"

Nami just shrugged and flipped the page with nonchalance practically hearing the whimper from his wounded ego. The next thing she knew he had yanked the magazine out of her hands and pulled her up crashing their mouth together. That had led to being pressed against the mast and now being carried down to her room. Zoro's mouth was hot on her neck as he navigated the way to her room; the one room he could always find without trouble. His hands were already slipping under her shirt as he approached the door and it was off as the door swung shut.

Zoro tossed her lightly onto the bed, her grip around his waist no match for the slightest sign of his strength. Nami stared up at him with lust-darkened eyes mewling in appreciation as he stripped his clothes off before joining her. His eyes raked over her body; the look of pure want soaking her panties with her own desire. Zoro slipped his forefingers under the waistband of her skirt and tugged it down over her hips and Nami raised herself off the bed so the garment could be removed completely. The skirt was tossed aside and Zoro focused his attention on her ankles; nipping at the flesh and running kisses up her leg. She squirmed as he got closer to where she wanted him, his tongue running lazy circles on the inside of her thigh. Nami begged and pleaded for his touch but he just continued to tease her; licking at the crease of her thigh, trailing his hot breath over her aching juncture.

Zoro looked up from his spot between her legs, his emerald eyes dark with desire and pure hunger and Nami could have come then and there. He pressed his tongue flat against her slit through the thin, wet fabric of her panties and Nami tried to push herself onto him more. He chuckled as his grip held her firm to the bed despite her best efforts. He teased the sensitive bundle of nerves through the lace of her panties and Nami writhed under him, the sweet pain consuming her, overwhelming her senses until she couldn't stand it. A litany of moaned curses fell from her parted lips as she squeezed her eyes shut against the sensations that overtook her. Her body went rigid with the powerful orgasm that shook through her body and she lay there in bliss experiencing the ripples of her orgasm.

When Nami opened her eyes Zoro was looming over her his emerald eyes shining with lust and pride. He captured her mouth in a fierce kiss and trailed a hand over her still highly sensitized skin and she felt her body starting to react to him all over again. As she gave herself to him once more she couldn't help but think that he truly did measure up.


	4. Storm

Title: Storm  
Theme: 30 - Under the Rain  
Rating: K+  
Words: 316  
Summary: Nami directs the crew through a storm

* * *

The rain was coming down in sheets, soaking through his thin white shirt and causing the material to cling to his skin as he worked on fastening off the sail. Only moments before the sky had been clear but so was the weather on the Grand Line. Near impossible to forecast and yet their spunky navigator had been able to. She had started shouting orders with her usual authority and despite the blue sky the Straw Hats knew better than to doubt her. Zoro had been taking in the sail when he felt the first drop; big and wet landing on his shoulder with a nearly audible splash. Less than a second later the second, third and hundredth drops were falling heavily.

Once the sail was in and secure he rushed over to Usopp to assist in getting the umbrellas down and secured in the storage room. The rain sliced at him as the wind accelerated its descent and he paused long enough to glance around the ship making sure the rest of his nakama were doing alright. His eyes settled on Nami; standing tall on higher deck in front of the entrance to the galley. She had pulled on a raincoat and the impermeable material was swept around her the wind threatening to rip it from her body. Still she didn`t hesitate or curl back from the force of the onslaught as she continued to shout directives to her nakama.

His keen eyes took in the determination in her cinnamon eyes, the strength in the set of her shoulders and the passion in her voice. She was a sight to behold; tangerine hair whipped loose of its neat ponytail she was a goddess amongst her peons. She was his goddess. Standing under the rain she was in her element; her skill shining through and as far as Zoro was concerned she had never looked hotter.


	5. No Way Out

Title: No Way Out  
Theme: 59 - No Way Out  
Rating: T  
Words: 438  
Summary: Nami is trapped with no way out.

* * *

She looked at her surroundings quickly, taking in all the obstacles in her path and the men that stood menacingly around her. There were five of them and just one of her and she had no clear path to any sort of exit. The men were closing in on her and there was no way out. She tried to think of a plan as she shifted from one foot to another; determined to not go down without a fight. This was all Zoro's fault she thought irrationally. If he hasn't pissed her off earlier she would have been paying attention and wouldn't have been in this situation. Trapped in a room with a bunch of thugs and without even her ClimaTact. She shifted into a position she had seen Luffy take countless times when facing down some unbeatable foe. Maybe she could bluff her way out of this since she doubted her charms would work on these men. They didn't care about her offering herself up; they planned on taking what they wanted from her. It was written in their eyes; lascivious on her body and she fought the urge to shudder.

She was so focused on the men approaching her that the sudden crash drew a short cry from her. She swivelled around to the source of the noise and through a pile of rubble and dust she could see a new entrance had been made in the wall. Before the dust had even settled blades were flashing and before she knew it her would be attackers were crumpled on the floor. Standing before her with all three blades drawn and a dark, almost demonic look in his eyes was the swordsman she had been blaming moments earlier.

Zoro carefully re-sheathed his katana and when he looked back at her his eyes were once again their normal guarded green. He surveyed the damage he had caused briefly before walking up to the stunned navigator and yanking her towards him roughly. His lips crashed against hers in a bruising kiss that stole her breath away. When he pulled back he was wearing a scowl.

"Always getting into trouble woman." He chided.

"I could have handled this just fine I'll have you know." Nami retorted

Zoro just looked at her with raised eyebrows before turning to walk out of the room. Nami stood there for a second before following after him, stepping delicately over the fallen bodies of the thugs. Catching up to him she slipped her hand into his; a gentle squeeze showing her gratitude. She should have known that with Zoro there was always a way out.


	6. Lessons Learned

Title: Lesson Learned  
Theme: 63 - Do Not Disturb  
Rating: T  
Words: 233  
Summary: Zoro is taught a lesson he won't soon be forgetting

He really should've known better. After all she had made it pretty clear to not only him but the entire crew and yet he had done it anyways. He had let his ego get in the way, thinking that just because he got to wake up with her he had special privileges. He should have known waking up with her was the privilege. Boy did he regret it now. His back ached like nothing he had ever experienced before, not in all of his years of training and fighting. His fingers were raw, the skin wrinkled and pruned in the most demeaning way. His knees screamed their unhappiness at the torture they had endured and all of this wasn't even touching on the sheer humiliation he had experienced.

For her part she was smug and satisfied. The sadistic part of her nature rejoicing in the misfortune and pain she had caused and witnessed throughout the day. It was times like these that he had to remind himself that she was his nakama, that he loved her and that she wasn't entirely evil. Even if she did a damn good job of acting so.

By the time the deck was clean, the wood scrubbed until there wasn't a trace of dirt or anything else marring the long planks he had learned his lesson. Nobody, even himself, was to disturb Nami when she was working.


	7. Precious Offerings

Title: Precious Offerings  
Theme: 92 - All That I Have  
Words: 128  
Rating: K+  
Summary: Zoro has more than he thinks to offer...

He didn't have a lot of money to spend on her – in fact he owed her more than he currently had. He couldn't buy her jewels or cook her meals. He couldn't say that he won his battles for her like a knight from long ago because they both knew it was solely for himself and perhaps Kuina. He couldn't paint like Usopp or create a masterpiece like Brook. His talents lay in a more destructive vein that didn't intertwine with romantics. Yet none of it ever seemed to matter to the red head. She didn't need proof of his love and dedication because she knew that he did love her and was hers completely. And to Nami that was more precious that any jewel he could buy.


	8. Band Class

Title: Band Class  
Theme: 90 – Triangle  
Words: 105  
Rating: K+  
Summary: AU - Zoro hates band

Zoro hated school. He hated boring classes, homework and not enough time to sleep. Even more than that he hated being forced to participate in stupid and embarrassing things such as band. He hid in the back of the class trying to make himself as small as possible. He held his instrument with disdain, muttering to himself every time he had to ring the stupid metal triangle. He hated it even more when the redhead behind the drums would toss her hair and laugh. Zoro shrank deeper into his chair, cheeks burning and swore to himself she'd regret those looks. Oh how he hated school.


	9. Bonus

_So I was without my list for a while and my friend told me some themes so here they are as bonus for you all._

Title: The power of Scent  
Theme: Smell  
Words: 53  
Rating: K+  
Summary: The scents which are important to Nami

There were many smells that filled the world, subtle mixes that combined to stimulate memories, emotions and reactions. These smells weren't all that unique or to most people all that welcome but to Nami they were her world. To Nami they were everything. They were the simple combination of sweat, blood and metal.

Title: Time After Time  
Theme: Insides  
Words: 169  
Rating: T  
Summary: Zoro's constant injuries worry Nami

Insides by their very nature were supposed to be inside. It's just the way it was supposed to be and something Nami firmly believed. Zoro it seemed was not so much aware of this. Nami recalled the first time they met when Buggy had attacked the swordsman from behind and the fool had then proceeded to lift Luffy in that damn cage, his guts almost spilling out his side. Then there was the encounter with Mihawk followed too quickly by the fight with Hachi and from there the list went on and on.

Fight after fight his insides made an appearance in their struggle for freedom from the confines of his body. It was a point that never ceased to cause endless worry and her own insides would twist and turn. Yet there was nothing she could do to prevent it. So each time she would make sure he got stitched back up and pray it was the last time all the while fearing the time it would be.

Title: Hell of a Year  
Theme: New Year  
Words: 157  
Rating: T  
Summary: Nami and Zoro ring in the new year

There was a party going on in full swing on the deck of the Thousand Sunny. They were several barrels of ale in and the veritable feast Sanji had prepared was nothing more than scraps – those too soon to be gone. The younger members of the crew were enthralled with the unique fireworks Usopp had created special for the night. Below deck the swordsman and the navigator had snuck away – having taken advantage of the distraction the fireworks provided. 'Happy New Years' and well wishes were swallowed as their lips moved together, bodies colliding with primal heat.

Later as Zoro lay in bed in the hours before dawn he recalled a theory that how you rang in the new year was significant to how your year would go. Turning his head he looked at Nami – deep in sleep and draped gracefully over his body. It looked like it was going to be one hell of a year.


	10. New Member

Title: New member  
Theme: 36 - Precious Treasure  
Words: 200  
Rating: T  
Summary: The arrival of Nico Robin

He didn't trust the older woman, sitting there with an easy smile confidence written in every part of her. Just days before she had been the enemy; she had been trying to destroy them yet here she sat asking, no demanding, to be a part of their crew. And Luffy, being Luffy had Okayed it without a second thought. Sanji – the idiotic love-drunk bastard – had just as easily welcomed it. He watched in something akin to amusement as Usopp freaked out in true Usopp fashion and then the moment he was waiting for came.

Her voice wasn't altogether loud but she spoke with authority and confidence, standing on the steps as if she owned the ship. As always Nami was a sight to behold and he felt the beginnings of an arousal coursing through his body watching her. Beside him Usopp nearly wept with relief. Then it happened and as soon as the older woman pulled them out Zoro knew they were doomed. Nami chirped happily at the woman's side as handfuls of jewels sparkled in the afternoon sun. Zoro sighed and walked away, it looked like they had a new member; no one got between Nami and her treasure.


	11. Real

Title: Real  
Theme: 95 - Advertisement  
Rating: T  
Words: 431  
Summary: Zoro contemplates the models in ads

* * *

Zoro was sitting in Nami's apartment waiting for her to finish getting read. It was already half an hour later than they were supposed to leave and it looked like tonight was going to be another missed reservation. Growling in frustration he blindly reached for a magazine to occupy his time so he wouldn't snap on the redhead. He started to flip through it idly, flipping pass advertisement after advertisement. He scowled at the made up woman, airbrushed into unreachable perfection as they sold everything from cosmetics to clothes to jewellery. He eyed the woman with disdain their thin frames looked like they wouldn't be able to survive a brisk wind and god forbid they eat. He loathed their bronzed skin and bleached locks. Their superficial happiness was no comparison to the real thing.

Just then Nami emerged from her room, finally ready to leave. She wore her hair down, the thick red strands just grazing her bare shoulders. She wore a simple, strapless, black dress that hugged her curves and showed off her toned arms and the pinwheel tattoo. Zoro's eyes scanned her from head to toe revelling in the natural beauty that shone through the fancy dress and jewellery. Her red lips curved into a smile upon seeing his appreciation and his heart beat a bit faster at the sight. Smiling he thought this was real, this was happiness and it was a hell of a lot better than any advertisement.

"You're beautiful" he breathed as he stepped closer.

Nami's cheeks tinged pink at the compliment and the sincerity with which it was spoken. Recovering she slipped her arm through his and led him to the door. They walked over to where he had parked his car and as he went to head to the driver's side she stopped him. Turning around he raised an eyebrow at her and she simply smiled before pressing her lips to his. He gave in to her touch, kissing her back with hunger and sweetness. A moment later she was pulling back and in her hand she held his keys which had previously been in his pocket.

"I'll drive. We might make the reservation still."

Zoro blushed and grumbled but accepted the fact that she was probably right and begrudgingly switched sides. As she took control and got them to the restaurant – they missed their reservations but Nami got them a table anyhow – Zoro couldn't help but appreciate everything that she was and everything that she wasn't. Arguing over directions in the car Zoro decided he'd take real over the models any day.


	12. Solace

Title: It's a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder  
Theme: 05 – Seeking Solace  
Rating: T  
Words: 713  
Summary: Once a year Zoro has a dark day and needs some help

Nami woke alone and that fact was enough to tell her what day it was. It was the same every year on this day. She would go to bed with the stranger, would offer up her cries and he would take them in greedily and offer his own in exchange. She would fall asleep in his warm embrace, secure and loved and yet come morning light he would be gone. It always happened like this, every year since the first year they were together. With a sigh she let her hand trail over the sheets, their coolness an indication of how long he had been gone.

She got up and got ready for the day as usual because dark day or not she still had a ship to navigate and a crew of unruly pirates masquerading as her nakama to control. She felt the simultaneous pulls of annoyance and affection she always felt when thinking about her fellow straw hats and smiled softly. Once above deck she gave the cursory sweep and examination of the skies and determined that there would be smooth sailing for at least another quarter of an hour if not more. She heard the soft clink of metal and looked up to see Zoro adding more weights to his bar. Once it was unnaturally loaded with the heavy weights he went back to lifting them, a layer of sweat already visible upon his tanned skin. She knew from experience that he would be there until breakfast was over, doing rep after rep until his body was in pure exhaustion at which point he would grab a glass of water and pass out in some corner of the ship.

With another sigh – this one sadder – she headed into the kitchen where breakfast was waiting in all of its delicious glory. Her crewmates were already seated, eagerly waiting for the food to be laid down. She had no sooner sat down than Sanji was at her side offering her gilded compliments and a cup of coffee. Accepting both with practices grace her thoughts drifted back to the swordsman and his self-imposed punishment. Breakfast was as rowdy as usual and it was by mere habit that she kept her food from Luffy's grasp as she was certainly not there in spirit or mind. Before she knew it the meal was over, the boys had gallivanted out of the kitchen and Sanji was starting on dishes. She was startled out of her reverie by a light touch on her shoulder. She looked up to see Robin ready to leave the kitchen with her coffee.

"Perhaps he needs to be navigated to the solace he seeks."

Before Nami could question the older woman's words she was gone leaving her with her now cold coffee and the strange but not altogether unexpected remark. She sat awhile pondering her friend's words before making up her mind and leaving as well. Zoro was just finishing up; methodically taking every weight off the bar and storing them away. She took that time to go through the bathroom and when she emerged back on deck she headed to the back of the ship searching every dark corner until she found him; katana at his side and head against the wall. His eyes were closed but she knew he sensed her approach and the minute furrow of his brow reminded her that she was breaking some unspoken agreement. That this day she was not, no one was to bother him.

She didn't say anything, simply lowered herself to the ground beside him. She curled her legs under her and remaining silent took his hand in hers. Threading their fingers together and squeezing gently in a simple communication of I am here. I am not going anywhere. She sat there holding his hand, unmoving and watched the sea. From the corner of her eye she saw his free hand tighten around the hilt of the white katana. The katana that never strayed far from his side; no matter the circumstance. After a few moments or perhaps longer there was a gentle pressure on her fingers an answering thank you and don't go. She let a small smile grace her lips as he leaned into her and took the solace she offered.


	13. Hero

Title: Unlikely Hero  
Theme: 68 – Hero  
Words: 180  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro isn't the only hero in the relationship

A hero is defined as a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. However there are different kinds of heroes; at least that's how Zoro saw it. He figured Luffy was a hero in a more classic sense, after all the kid was probably the noblest pirate there was lately. Nami had told him he was a hero before and he believed her so clearly there had to be at least two different kinds of heroes because he was not the same as Luffy.

There was another kind of hero someone who saved you from yourself. As far as Zoro concerned they were the bravest of all. To him, Nami was that kind of hero. She had come along and introduced love into his life. Just when he was ready to give in completely to the darkness she had shown him that he was capable of purer emotions, of warmer feelings. So while she wasn't the strongest, smartest or noblest of heroes she was his hero and that in itself was saying something.


	14. No Looking Back

Title: No Looking Back  
Theme: 56 – Danger Ahead  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami heads towards the danger without looking back

They were used to chasing danger. Danger Ahead meant full speed ahead in their crew. It was something you got used to if you wanted to sail with Luffy. So Nami had gotten used to it. Hell, she basically thrived on it. Each new danger was a challenge, an adventure, a chance to make some more beli. Luffy would point out danger and she'd navigate them that way; no hesitation, no looking back.

It hadn't started right off or even when he had fought Hachi for her despite his mortal wounds. Or what should have been mortal wounds anyways. It also didn't start after they fought in Alabasta and he carries her way from that spider lady's fallen body. There wasn't anything remarkable about the day or place. It had just been another day in Luffy's crew sailing towards danger. She had seen him – and no, not some cliché 'truly seen him for the first time'. She had seen him and he had been lying there, Of course he was lying there. The guy was as lazy as he was skilled. She still refused to give him anything but a backwards compliment; he had a big enough ego as it was.

She saw him and the bright neon sign that flashed and sparked above that ridiculous green hair and like with everything else she had charged ahead. She had gone after the danger with no hesitation and to this day she hadn't looked back. Okay, well she had glanced back when in his eagerness he had knocked over a bottle of ink onto a stack of maps but for the most part... Well, now they chased danger together.


	15. A wish your heart makes

Title: A Wish Your Heart Makes  
Theme: 39 – Dream  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami has an unsettling dream

Nami sighed as she stretched out her limbs on the beach chair. The sun was bright and she luxuriated in the sensation of it on her skin. She reached over for the tall drink that was on the table beside her; taking a sip and letting a smile grace her features.

"Onee-chan isn't this wonderful!" She exclaimed.

Robin smiled and murmured her agreement before returning to her book. Nami let out another deeply contented sigh before relaxing back. She let her eyes slip close and focused on the brightness behind her eyelids and the warm tingling sensation of the sun caressing her skin. Suddenly the brightness was gone and instead of the tingling sensation of the sun there was a slight chill from having it blocked out. Nami snapped her eyes open in irritation, a frown already on her face. Standing over her, looking entirely too nonchalant about blocking her sun was the swordsman.

"Baka! You're blocking the sun." She snapped, making a dismissive gesture with her left hand.

Zoro didn't move as she had hoped instead he bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Perhaps pressed wasn't quite the right word. It was much more savage than that; a crushing of their mouths creating a heat stronger than the sun. His hand was firm behind her neck allowing her no escape and suddenly escape was the farthest thing from her mind. Instead all she wanted was more of this heat so she pressed closer, arching up off the chair and was happy to feel Zoro's other hand snake under her waist and hold her close.

Nami's hands grappled at his chest, twisting in his shirt and feeling the warmth that his skin seemed to radiate. The heat stretched out over her body from where she came in contact with him and Nami couldn't help but let out a satisfied moan. The sound was swallowed by Zoro as he pulled her even closer; the space between then now non-existent. Eventually they were forced to pull apart as Nami's lungs burned for oxygen.

As she drew in a shaky breath Zoro moved to her neck; oxygen seemingly not to be a concern for the gruff swordsman. Her heart stuttered as his teeth scratched across her pulse point and her hands gripped his shirt tighter to keep from falling. There was a soft chuckle from off to the side and she dimly realized there was something she should be thinking of. She tried to fight through the fog in her brain to remember it but just then Zoro suckled the spot behind her ear and all thoughts and should-be worries flew out of her brain. This time the moan wasn't contained and it drifted through the air eliciting another chuckle. Soft words laced with amusement managed to make their way through the fog.

"My, my Navigator-san. Having a good time I see."

As the words slowly registered Nami let out a shriek and pushed herself away from Zoro. Her eyes flew open and she realized that the swordsman was nowhere in sight. Blinking slowly she looked around her, face flushed and heart pounding away. She was on the lounge chair with Robin beside her but apart from that it had been a dream. A very vivid and enticing dream. She quickly racked her memory to see if she had moaned Zoro's name in the dream but she didn't remember making any intelligible sounds. Looking over at Robin she had a hard time meeting the other woman's eyes. Robin was looking at her with that annoyingly knowing look and somehow Nami knew that she knew. Names or not.

"Did you have a good dream, Navigator-san?" she asked innocently, a twinkle in her eyes.

Nami felt her face explode with fire and she quickly scrambled off the chair and away from the older woman. Her heart was still beating erratically so she avoided the kitchen and turned in the direction of her room. She wasn't paying attention as she half-ran to the safety her quarters offered and tripped over a pair of legs stretched across the deck. Looking down she saw that it was Zoro – of course it was Zoro – and she felt her face get even hotter if that was possible. Pulling herself up she took off this time at a straight run desperate to be in her room.

From where he was sprawled on the deck Zoro shrugged at his good fortune. Normally such an encounter would have gotten him a good earful and a fine to go along with it. She was always bitching about his sleeping positions and the fact that one of them and tripped her and she hadn't said a word was nothing short of a miracle. With a sigh Zoro remembered that he didn't believe in miracles and he hauled himself up. Obviously something was wrong with Nami and as nakama he should figure it out.

He considered asking one of the others to do it but as he went through the list of crewmates reasons why popped up left and right. He couldn't stand to ask Robin to check up on her she would definitely read way too much into it and Usopp and Chopper would both be too scared. Sea witch or not he wasn't going to sic Sanji on her and so on and so forth until he was left with having to do it himself. With a grumble he trudged down to her quarters and knocked roughly on her door. He heard a soft moan and worried that she had managed to hurt herself he knocked harder and pushed the door open. He froze with his hand on the hilt of his katana an inch of the blade pulled free of the scabbard.

Nami was lying on her bed, face flushed and eyes closed. Her left hand was gripping the sheets under her while the right disappeared under her skirt. Her back was arched off the bed, pressing into her touch. He felt his cock twitch to life; his eyes locked on the site in front of him unable to look away. Nami registered the knock and his entrance a few seconds late and when she looked over her eyes were dark with lust and a bit of confusion. Her hand stilled and she fell back on the bed some.

"Am I dreaming again?"

Nami said the words soft enough that he knew the question wasn't really for him but he heard it anyways. The implications of the question dawned on him making him even harder and he let the katana slide back into place as he shut the door behind him.


	16. Bottoms Up

Title: Bottoms Up

Theme: 78 - Drink

Words: 1,204

Rating: T

Summary: Sanji's show of affection goes entirely wrong

Sanji could kick himself for how things turned out. How could it have gone so wrong? Sanji sat slumped over the table in his galley every now and then lifting his head slightly just to let it fall back down. He let out a moan that had nothing to do with his head hitting the hard wood of the table. His simple gesture of love had had the worst possible outcome.

_Earlier_

Sanji hummed to himself as he moved about the galley. He tossed the last ingredients into the stainless steel shaker before snapping on the lid and shaking it with a few expert flips of his wrist. He switched to whistling as he popped the lid off the shaker and poured the creamy drink into a couple of tall glasses he had chilling in the fridge. Sanji put a sprig of mint on the top of each glass for decoration and a hint of extra flavour and carried them out on a tray.

"Nami-swan, Robin-chwan! I have prepared you a cocktail of love, my angels." He swooned.

He bowed gallantly as he placed their drinks on the deck table. He felt the familiar rush of love soar through him as they smiled and thanked him. It was on a cloud of sweet, sweet love that he floated back to his galley. The next thing he registered was Nami's panicked cry for Chopper. In the blink of an eye he dropped the knife he was using to chop vegetables and was out the door.

He let the smallest sigh of relief escape him when he saw that both girls were alright. It appeared however that the swordsman wasn't as lucky. Zoro was on his back clutching at his throat, there were angry red blotches covering his right hand and Sanji could see more popping up on his face and throat. Chopper was leaning over the prone swordsman; a stethoscope pressed to Zoro's chest. There was a look of worried concentration on his furry face and before Sanji could ask what had happened Chopper had switched to human form, scooping Zoro up as he did so. Nami rushed after them so he turned to Robin for answers. Worry for his nakama stripped away the flourish of his usual greetings and it was with an unusual bluntness he addressed her.

"Robin-chan, what happened?"

"Navigator-san and Swordsman-san were teasing each other and Swordsman-san commented on the sprig of mints on the drinks."

"He took it didn't he?" Sanji interrupted, realization dawning on him.

Robin nodded and Sanji let his head fall into his hands in a moment of despair.

"Looks like the oaf is allergic to mint. I feared he might be. He complained of cold-like symptoms when he was in the galley when I was washing the bunch the other day. I've been careful not to use it in any of our meals since." Sanji explained.

He knew he probably should have tossed the whole bunch back then but it was perfectly good food and he hadn't been able to. He had been super careful though, only using it in treats for the girls. Looks like that hadn't quite worked out. With a sigh he excused himself from Robin and went to tell Chopper about the mint.

In the infirmary Zoro was laying on one of the beds, his eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep. Chopper was at his desk making notes in his book while Nami sat on a chair beside the bed. Her gaze seemed to be fixated on the red blotches covering his throat. He could see the worry and guilt in her posture and he felt as if he's been kicked in the stomach by the old man when he realized that indirectly he had caused it.

"Chopper, is he alright?"

The reindeer looked up surprised to see Sanji in his office showing concern for the swordsman.

"He's asleep now; I had to give him a sedative so he wouldn't tear his throat open. It appears to be an allergic reaction to something in Nami's drink."

"It was the mint." Sanji said, feeling horrible.

"How do you know?"

Sanji explained the reason for his suspicions expecting the doctor to chide him for not mentioning it to him sooner. However, any reprimand was prevented by Nami's pained cry and tearful apology directed at the unconscious swordsman.

"Nami-san, my angel of love, don't feel guilty. It wasn't your fault. If anybody is to blame its me." he pleaded with the navigator.

"I made him try it. He thought it was a plant and I told him it was edible. I even threatened to fine him if he didn't try it." Nami explained tearfully.

"Nami you couldn't have known Zoro was allergic. Zoro didn't even know. He's going to be fine, we all know he's suffered much worse. You are fine to stay with him until he wakes up if you wish." Chopper reassured the girl. "Sanji, is there any mint left? I know you don't want to but you need to get rid of it. You can toss it overboard or lock it away to barter at the next port."

Sanji nodded and left to deal with the mint and get back to preparing dinner.

Sometime later the food was well on its way to being done and there was nothing left for Sanji to do but wait. His thoughts drifted back to Nami and how upset she had been. Her nerves must be rather on edge right now and she would probably appreciate a soothing cup of tea. So with a smile on his face he went about preparing the hot drink. It wasn't long before he had a pot ready and together with a teacup and small dish of honey he headed out to find Nami.

He decided to try the infirmary first. Nami was sweet enough to want to stay with the swordsman until he was better and it was closest to the galley. He was outside the infirmary when he heard Nami's voice confirming her presence inside.

"Baka! Why would you eat it?"

"You're the one who told me to woman!"

"And you are always so quick to listen to me."

"I can never win with you."

Sanji was just considering turning around when the distinct sound of a sob carried through the door and it wasn't coming from Zoro. It took all of two seconds for Sanji to burst in the room, ready to kick the swordsman to pieces; recovering patient or not. However, he wasn't greeted with the sight he had been expecting.

Nami was no longer in the chair but on the bed in Zoro's lap. Her face was buried in the swordsman's chest and he had his arms around her in an intimate embrace that looked all too familiar for them. He was pressing soft kisses into her hair between murmured reassurances that it wasn't her fault. As Nami leaned back and their lips met Sanji slipped back out of the infirmary leaving behind the broken pieces of his heart.

He deposited the tea tray on the table in the galley and slumped into a seat. How had things gone so terribly wrong?


	17. You've Got a Friend in Me

Title: You've Got a Friend in Me  
Theme: Cat  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro has made a new friend which he isn't too thrilled with

Nami stretched as the Sunny came into view and readjusted her bags before making the rest of the trip down to the ship. She climbed on board and glanced around but didn't notice anyone else on board. They were at a pretty safe island and since everyone had things to take care of in town they hadn't bothered assigning someone to guard Sunny. She moved through the maze of halls and corridors until she got to her room so she could put her bags away. She was putting her new dress into her closet when she heard a commotion above deck and heard the familiar sounds of Zoro swearing. With a sigh she closed her door and headed up on deck.

"Get! Scram!" Zoro was yelling, at what, Nami couldn't see.

"Zoro, what are you yelling at?"

As she got closer she saw a small bundle of tawny fur by Zoro's boot. Upon closer inspection it appeared to be a scrawny cat trying to claw its way up Zoro's pants. Nami couldn't help but laugh as Zoro shook his leg helplessly while continuing to throw obscenities at the furry animal. The cat didn't seem to mind and continued to rub up against the swordsman and stretch up in a demand to be picked up. Nami moved around to scoop up the cat, surprised by how light it was. The cat was more of a kitten by looks and was a tawny colour with deeper burnt orange stripes along its back.

"Where'd you find your new friend?" she asked Zoro as the kitten started to purr.

"It's not my friend. The damn thing followed me all across town."

"The kitten's a he not an it." Nami explained having checked.

"Well _he_ followed me all over town. I ran into a group of kids near the katana shop and they were kicking the thing so I stopped them. He hasn't left me alone since."

"Kids were kicking him? Poor little thing."

Nami scratched at the kitten's ears watching as he leaned into her touch. She couldn't believe that someone would want to kick such a cute little creature. It was just a small harmless, defenceless kitten. It amazed her that people called Zoro and Robin and her other crewmates evil when there were people who did this living next door.

"Stop petting it, the damn thing is gonna get attached." Zoro grumbled.

Nami looked up at Zoro with big eyes, looking pointedly at the kitten before returning to Zoro. The swordsman's frown deepened and he crossed his arms stubbornly but it only took another few seconds of her pleading eyes and sad face for him to crack.

"Fine, he can stay. Luffy will love having a cat anyhow."

"Do you hear that sweetie; we're your new family." Nami purred to the cat happily.

"C'mon Ember, lets scrounge you up some food before the cook gets back." Zoro said and headed for the kitchen.

The kitten immediately jumped out of Nami's arms and followed the swordsman faithfully. Nami laughed and like Ember followed after her boyfriend. She loved that Zoro had already named him but she wasn't altogether surprised. After all he really was a sweetheart underneath the blades and frown. Ember had found a true and loyal friend in Zoro.


	18. Time to Play

Title: Time to Play  
Theme: 21 - Vacation  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami and Zoro take advantage of some time off

The Strawhat Pirates were anchored in a small bay slightly inland of a summer island along the Grand Line. The island was inhabited by a small community of 100 or so natives and featured all of the basics of a small town. The natives were of the friendly sort that paid the occasional pirate visitor no mind. The crew had originally stopped to stock up before hitting the next island but since the log pose could go a few days without altering their course they decided a day's rest would be nice. Some time on land would be a nice change and a break from each other's constant companionship would be greatly appreciated. They had decided to go off on their own instead of all booking rooms together as per usual. Nami allotted out their money shares and happily left them all behind as she headed to the spa she had heard about. Some decided to get a hotel while others preferred to save their money and sleep on the Sunny.

Zoro owed Nami his entire share (and more) and decided that a hotel wasn't worth the extra cost. He could however use some time off the ship and a tavern, bar or pub would be well worth the belis. Securing his katana – friendly villagers or not they weren't leaving his side – he went off the same way as Nami figuring it would lead him to the bar. It did eventually get him there though it seemed to have been the scenic route taking him around the entire island first. In reality it had been a direct path there he had just managed as per usual to get entirely turned around time and time again.

He was drinking his third beer when he saw the navigator approaching the bar. He knew she was coming from the spa and he could already see that she was looking refreshed and rejuvenated. Her skin held a glow that reminded him of her youthfulness and her chocolate eyes shined with peace and love. His eyes were trained on her as she walked up to the door and pushed it open. She walked in and slowly scanned the room her eyes meeting his with a soft smile. He couldn't keep his eyes from trailing down her body as she moved towards him. She wore a simple red tank top that cut low to emphasize her impressive cleavage and it rested just above her hips exposing a strip of tanned skin. Resting low on her hips was a short jean skirt that hugged her ass and displayed long legs and slender ankles encased in leather sandals.

"I got us a room." Nami said, pulling out a key.

"Oh yeah?" Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow. "How much is that costing me?"

"Nothing, my treat."

Zoro's grin spread since it wasn't every day (or month, or year, or...) that Nami spent her money on them. He didn't doubt that she loved him and it wasn't that she loved her money more but it was her money and she didn't spend it lightly. He tipped back his beer and drained the rest of it before standing up. He tossed down the required amount of belis and followed the navigator out of the bar. Once outside Nami slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and led them in the right direction.

"You know it's not like I'll get lost if you don't hold on."

Nami just laughed and tightened her grip, for his part he just shrugged because having her hand on him wasn't exactly a trial. He saw the way the male vendors in the street were checking her out and he felt a surge of pride that she was his, that she had chosen to be with him. And a night together without the rest of the crew right there was going to be amazing.


	19. Darkness Reigns

Title: Darkness Reigns  
Theme: 32 - Night  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Night was their time

Night was their time, it was when they were truly in their element. The darkness the perfect cover under which emotions and courage reigned.

It was during the night that she first came to sit with him and they first dropped the shield of bickering. It was under a shimmering moon that he first took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. There was nothing but black outside his portal the first time she came to him and the first time Ever) he said those three words.

They discovered each other through the night. Learning each other's past, their body, heart and soul. As the sun dropped below the horizon they shed their armour; coming together in the dark. Their relationship lived and grew in the dark so it came as a surprise that when he dropped down on one knee the sun was high in the sky.

However, the bright light didn't keep her from saying yes.


	20. Silent Prayers

Title: Silent Prayers  
Theme: 10 – Breathe Again  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro just needs her to breathe again

It had all happened so fast – on this ship it always seemed to – and it was only now that the fight was over that time slowed. It slowed down so much that he swore time was standing still. He stood there frozen with time as Chopper worked furiously less than a foot away. His eyes were trained on Nami who was spread out on the deck, her face ashen and her chest deadly still. He didn't know what had happened; everyone had been so busy with their own fights to have seen it.

He thinks it was Usopp who noticed her first crying out her name as her body crumpled to the deck. Usopp's cry had alerted Zoro and seeing Nami unconscious on the ground had awoken the demon inside. A quick look had passed between Zoro and Luffy and the fight had been over half a minute later. Since then Chopper had been at Nami's side working to get her breathing again.

Zoro's heart was pounding in his ears and he knew it had nothing to do with the fight that had taken place. Silently he watched as Chopper forced air into Nami's lungs. She had been out longer than Luffy had ever been after a spill into the water. Mentally he encouraged her to breathe again.

'_Come on Nami, breathe for me. I'll go shopping with you at the next port, I'll finally say those damn words out loud, anything if you'll just breathe again.'_

His brain continued to plea and bargain as he watched helplessly. He watched the slight rise of her chest as chopper forced air into it and then suddenly it stuttered in a short series of shallow rises that was followed by a beautiful cough. To Zoro it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and he fell to his knees as relief surged through his body. Tears streamed down his face as Nami took a few more shaky breaths. He moved to her side and cradled her head in his lap, his tears falling in her hair as she clutched his shirt.

"You scared me woman" he admitted in a broken whisper.

Nami pulled herself up into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around his neck. Around them time let out its breath and returned to normal.


	21. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Title: Actions Speak Louder Than Words  
Theme: 15 - Silence  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: A mystery bout of silence on the Sunny

Nami screamed but no sound came out. She could feel the quiver of the muscles in her throat and yet her scream remained soundless. It was only then that she noticed the eerie quiet of the ship; the only sound coming from the waves lapping against the side of Sunny. Nami looked around to see how the others were handling the sudden ship-wide bout of laryngitis. The first thing she noticed was Chopper running around and even without words Nami could tell he was screaming for a doctor.

Robin, calm as always, approached the reindeer and pt a comforting hand on his furry shoulder. She took off his hat pointing to the white X in reminder of his position as the ship's doctor. She watched as realization dawned on Chopper, a sheepish smile quickly replaced with determination as he rushed to his office returning with his medical kit. He headed to Usopp first, the sharpshooter shaking, his eyes wide as he rambled soundlessly. His terror was painfully evident without the distraction of false bravado.

She caught Robin's eyes and the older woman flashed a reassuring smile. Nami smiled back glad to see the archaeologist was still in control. Looking around she could see that for the most part everyone was taking the enforced silence in stride. Nami couldn't help but roll her eyes as she spotted the captain running around shouting and laughing all without sound. No doubt he thought it was another great adventure, confident that they'd triumph. His unfailing trust in them pushed them all to prove it warranted and Nami found herself relaxing knowing they'd sort it out.

Suddenly Sanji was in front of her with a steaming cup of tea and a dopey grin. She gladly accepted the beverage and turned to look for the swordsman. She shouldn't have been surprised to see him asleep against the mast. Taking a sip of her tea she headed over, she was a few steps away when he lazily opened his eyes. He opened his mouth to greet her but of course nothing came out. She smirked as he cleared his throat and attempted again. She just barely resisted the urge to slap him upside the head instead indicating everyone else to let him know it wasn't just him. Zoro raised an eyebrow in question and she shrugged in response.

Nami took another sip of her tea as Zoro got to his feet securing his katana. He reached out and pushed some hair out of her face mouthing the question 'are you ok?' She thought about it for a second leaning into his touch before nodding that she was. Zoro cupped the back of her head leaning down for a deep kiss that transferred loved, strength and courage. Nami leaned into Zoro kissing him hard before they broke apart to breathe.

With a roll of his eyes he headed over to Luffy to reel in his energy and get to work on solving the question. Feeling at peace she headed over to her chair ready to navigate when needed.


	22. Change of Stance

Title: Change of Stance  
Theme: 62 - Magic  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami had never believed in magic

Nami never believed in magic when growing up and joining the Strawhats didn't change that. It didn't matter that her best friend could sprout countless limbs on any surface or that her doctor was in fact a talking reindeer who could change his form as he pleased. She didn't care that she lived in a world where a fruit could give one special powers. None of that worked to convince her that there was such a thing as magic. Sure these weren't normal things but they were normal to her and as such not magical.

So if all of this couldn't convince her of magic that floats in the air, blows with the wind and sparkles amongst the stars then what tremendous, inconceivable thing was it that changed the navigator's stance on this subject? It in fact wasn't anything tremendous or inconceivable. It wasn't a earth shattering moment or anything to truly sit up and take notice of.

She had been sitting in the galley reading a book as she waited for her tea to be ready. The day was mild but she knew it wouldn't stay that way for long with storm clouds on the horizon. The swordsman had walked in with a towel around his neck and his chest bare as he was prone to be after training sessions. He walked in and headed for the sink to grab his customary post-training glass of water. No words were exchanged and on his way back out he stopped in front of her glass in hand. She had looked up from her book and he had surprised her by leaning done and pressing a soft kiss against her lips. It tasted of sweat and steel and was over almost as soon as it started. He had straightened and left without a word and suddenly Nami believed in magic.


	23. Whisky Lullaby

Title: Whisky Lullaby: A Story in Three Parts  
Theme: 93: Give up  
Rating: M for some adult content  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up. Lyrics belong to Brad Paisley  
Summary: Their reunion doesn't go as planned and the consequences of it

The two years finally came to a close and it was time for the Strawhats to regroup. He was looking forward to seeing everyone again even the love crazy cook. However he was most anxious to see Nami again. It had been a long two years and he yearned to have Nami in more than just his dreams. He arrived at the meeting spot early hoping the navigator would be there and they could have some alone time before everyone met up.

_She put him out  
Like the burning end of a midnight cigarette  
She broke his heart  
He spent his whole life trying to forget_

Nami was there as he had hoped but she wasn't alone. He recognised her immediately; the bright orange hair, the slope of her shoulders and her lilting laugh. He was about to call out to her when she wrapped her arms around a tall gentleman's neck reaching up on her toes to press their lips together in a passionate kiss. His stomach dropped as he was rooted to the spot. Nami seemed to sense his presence because she broke the kiss and turned to lock eyes with Zoro. Her eyes widened in shock and she took a step forward her mouth already forming an apology but he didn't stick around to heart it. He was out the door, unshed tears leaving the roads nothing but a blur. He found himself in front of a bar and swiping his hand across his eyes headed in. He ordered a double shot of whisky and kept them coming until he was sure the others would be there. But it didn't seem to matter how many shots he had, how many drinks he downed; Nami's face was burned on the back of his eyelids.

_We watched him drink his pain away  
A little bit at a time  
But he never could get drunk enough  
To get her off his mind  
Until the night_

_He put the bottle to his head and pulled the trigger_  
_He finally drank away her memory_  
_Life is short_  
_But this time it was bigger_  
_Than the strength he had to get up off his knees_

Back on the ship with the long separated crew he continued to drink. He drank until his swordsmanship skills were impaired and his crewmates started to worry. Then one night after too much he started an unfair fight. Chopper found him face down in the street clutching his katana and a creased photo of Nami.

_The angels sang a whiskey lullaby_

_The rumors flew  
But nobody knew  
How much she blamed herself  
For years and years  
She tried to hide the whisky on her breath_

There wasn't a day that went by that Nami didn't regret what she had done. She saw the pain in his eyes when he ran out and it was like a fissure in her heart slowly getting worse the lower he sank. After Chopper found him in the street she had snuck into the kitchen and broken into Sanji's liquor cabinet emerging with an unopened bottle of whisky. She drank and drank as guilt wracked her. On the ship she avoided the others so they wouldn't smell the whisky. Off the ship she danced and drank trying to replace the guilt with passion.

_She put the bottle to her head and pulled the trigger  
And finally drank away his memory  
Life is short but this time it was bigger  
Than the strength she had to get up off her knees_

Yet, regardless of the town, man or drink she saw Zoro's heartbroken expression when she closed her eyes. This time it was Franky who found her lying in an alley her stomach full of whisky and Zoro's bandana clutched in her hand.

_The angels sang a whiskey lullaby_

Brook's violin sang a mournful tune; its haunting notes reaching the corners of the ship. Luffy sat in the infirmary, tears streaming down his face as he looked over his broken nakama. When Franky had ran on to the ship carrying Nami's limp body Luffy had walked into the kitchen leaving with every bottle of alcohol in his arms. Going to the rail he tossed every drop over and even Sanji hadn't minded the waste. Luckily Chopper was a doctor prepped for the New World and he had managed to save his nakama. Zoro had needed countless stitches and a blood transfusion and had another few weeks of bed rest in his future. As for Nami, Chopper had pumped her stomach; emptying the toxic alcohol before setting her up with an IV. She too with rest would be ok. Luffy wiped his tears away as Brook's song came to an end. He thought about what to say when they woke up because he wasn't going to let them give up anymore. It wasn't yet time for the angels to sing a whisky lullaby.


	24. Blood Ties

Title: Blood Ties  
Theme: 17 - Blood  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami thinks about the importance of blood ties

Blood is thicker than water.

That's what they say at least but Nami would like to meet whoever they are because she disagrees. She looks around her and can't help but think that blood ties are nice and all but don't mean a thing in dealing with love and nakamaship. She thinks of her own family; of Bellemere sacrificing her life for Nami and Nojiko. She thinks of everything she did for Nojiko and her townspeople. All that sacrifice and love had existed without blood ties.

She's not the only one either because Luffy had put his life on the line time and time again for Ace and in the end Ace had sacrificed himself for Luffy without hesitation. Zoro sacrificed his body in every fight to protect them, Sanji put his life on the line, Usopp fought despite a near crippling fear. All she had to do was look around her to see cases of love and sacrifice all of which existed without blood ties.

No blood ties weren't all that important in her world because she had nakama that proved blood wasn't necessary for devotion. She smiled as her hand rested on the rounded curve of her stomach visions of a green-haired babies floating in her imagination. Blood ties weren't important but she loved that her blood was tied together with Zoro's to create this magnificent being inside her.


	25. Rainy Days

Title: Rainy Days  
Theme: 96. In the Storm  
Rating: T  
Summary: It's a rainy day on the Grand Line and Zoro has plans  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, I mean no harm.

The wind howled and shook the sails so much that it looked like they were going to tear loose. The wind was like its own creature; a ferocious beast trying to claw the Sunny apart. The rain was cold but gentle, falling with random bursts of energy. It seeped into you seeming to chill you to the bone despite its gentleness. The green haired swordsman was outside doing a few checks to make sure everything was still secure and tied down. He moved quickly eager to get out of the chill and back below deck where things were warmer. He was the only one out in the elements and by the time he secured the last rigging his thin white t-shirt was sticking to his tanned skin, semi-transparent from the rain.

"Damn woman, next time send Franky." Zoro complained as he entered his room.

From the small desk in the corner of the room Nami looked up.

"I'm pretty sure you volunteered and I'm busy, *man*" Nami replied, disdain dripping from the word man.

Zoro smirked because he knew it irritated her to be called woman even if he didn't mean it offensively. She turned back to the parchment spread out in front of him and he peeled the soaking wet t-shirt off tossing it into a pile of clothes in the corner of the room. Next he shrugged out of his pants adding them to the pile. His boxers were still dry and he kept them on as he wandered over to the dresser that contained his other clothes. As Zoro moved he could feel Nami's eyes on him and he smirked to himself because he knew she had never been able to resist his body. A thought popping into his head, well more of a plan, he turned around and forgot about putting on clothes. It wasn't all that cold in their room and if things went well it was about to get a lot warmer.

Their room wasn't all that big but it had been artfully arranged so that there was a fair amount of empty space in the middle of it. Zoro sauntered to the open area and settled into some easy stretches, nothing too strenuous but enough to put the stretch and pull of his muscles on display. He focused his breathing so that it came in easy inhales and exhales quiet enough that he could hear the minute changes in Nami's breathing and movements. He raised his arms above his hands and slowly stretched to the side. The movement pulled the muscles taut across his side and he heard the soft stutter in Nami's breath that betrayed her interest. As he continued to stretch languidly all sounds of pen scratching against parchment ceased and he felt the heat of her stare burning into him.

"Like what you see?" he tossed cockily.

Zoro twisted from his waist to capture Nami's gaze which was locked on his exposed torso. He smirked as he took in the flushed face and even from the center of the room he could see her hardened nipples pressing against the thin material of her shirt. He could only imagine what delightful scenarios were running through her mind. She looked wanton and sexy as hell and he let out an appreciative groan when she finally crossed the room to him.

Outside the rain had picked up but Nami and Zoro were too consumed by an intense heat to care about the storm.


	26. Teardrops

Title: Teardrops  
Theme: 26 - Tears  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami isn't one to cry but even she can't be strong every day

_Dedicado a Galleta! Disfrutas en tus vacaciones, chica!_

There wasn't a lot that brought Nami to tears, especially after Luffy had defeated Arlong. That wasn't to say she wasn't sensitive because despite her outwards appearance Zoro knew she had a large and caring heart. Nami just shut that part of herself down around others to become the tough-skinned and demanding navigator she was seen as. However, behind closed doors she let the facade drop and Zoro saw the young woman who loved her friends more than anything – even beli – and missed seeing her sister on a frequent basis. He got to see the Nami that she kept secret but even with this Zoro had almost never seen her cry.

It had been just over three years since Nami had joined the Strawhats and almost one and a half that they had been together. In those years Zoro had noticed that there was one day every year that Nami was quieter than usual, on that day she would often lock herself in her room and claim she was working on important maps. In the last year there were times that Nami and Zoro fought and Zoro was relegated to the boys' cabin for the night but on this day there was never a fight. Nami simply asked to spend the night alone and respecting her need Zoro would grab a blanket and pillow, kiss her goodnight and walk away.

Today was that day and no one had seen much of the navigator all day. Sanji had brought meals to her room but even the love cook knew to simply leave it by her door. Dinner had finished and the crew was starting to settle down for the night. The swordsman knocked lightly on the door to the room he had come to consider as theirs before slipping in quietly.

"Just grabbing a blanket, babe." He said softly.

The lights were off the only light coming from a single candle by the bed. He could make out the silhouette of Nami sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up tight to her chest. Zoro crossed over to the cabinet where Nami stored the extra blankets, he pulled out the top blanket and threw it over his arm.

"Night, babe, I'll see you in the morning."

"Stay?" the word was soft and rising hesitantly in question.

Zoro didn't answer just opened the cabinet and put the blanket back. Silently he crossed over to the bed and slipped on behind Nami. The navigator leaned towards him and he quickly pulled her to him one hand on her back while the other combed through her hair. Tilting his head down he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. He continued to hold her as her frame shook with choking sobs, just tightening his arms and rocking ever so slightly. After awhile the sobs ceased and her body stilled in his embrace. Her tears had soaked through his shirt where her face was buried in his chest. Nami shifted slightly and Zoro loosened his arms so she could move. She looked up at him with bright, red-rimmed eyes and cheeks damp with tears. Zoro brushed the wet trails away with the pad of his thumb feeling an ache in his heart at the sight. Nami's gaze drifted to the framed photograph by the bed. It was a picture of her family; of Bellemere, Nojiko and a young Nami.

"I just miss her so much; she gave up everything for us. Everything..." Nami said brokenly as a fresh tear slipped down her cheek.

Zoro didn't speak; after all there was nothing to say so he just held her silently. Soon her eyelids began to drop and Zoro laid her down on the bed before stripping to his boxers and climbing in beside her. Once under the covers he pulled her to him once again. Softly he pushed damp hair out of her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Thank you." He whispered against her skin.

"Nami just burrowed closer and Zoro did whatever he could to ease the pain and still those tears.


	27. Sleepover Victims

Title: Sleepover Victims  
Theme: 48 - Childhood  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro missed out on his childhood and wants to make sure his daughter doesn't

No one aboard the Thousand Sunny had experienced what you would call a traditional childhood. Perhaps that is what made them such strong individuals and drew them to each other. So it only seemed right that a Strawhat baby was going to be no exception, no matter how hard Zoro tried to give his daughter the traditional experiences.

Zoro's crewmates knew he meant well and they all loved Zoro and Nami's daughter but sometimes they weren't so thrilled with Zoro's "important experiences". This was certainly the case on Inora's fifth birthday which culminated in everyone in her bedroom in pyjamas with popcorn and other treats everywhere and clownish makeup on the boys. Even Sanji was starting to complain which was saying something because in true love cook fashion the blonde had fallen completely in love with Inora when he first saw her.

"Zoro can we please go now?" Usopp whined.

The sharpshooter's longer hair had been prime braiding material and half his head was done in a neat braid while the other was, well, a less neat braid with several chunks left behind. Inora had roped her mother into being her braiding partner. Usopp also had been granted a makeover featuring the primary colours and the five year-old's dislike of colouring in the lines seemed to have carried over to cosmetics. In all of his years of misadventures and false bravado Usopp had never quite looked this defeated and pathetic.

"It's Inora's birthday and she is having a slumber party; you can't leave there's still movies and apparently we're supposed to stay up all night."

Usopp let out a heavy sigh and flopped himself onto the bed only to jump back up when the movement caused a squeaky scream. Usopp's knees were still banging together when he realized it was only Chopper hiding amongst the mountain of plush toys on Inora's bed. The reindeer had never truly understood human rituals and this so called rite of passage had him anxious and just a little terrified. Luckily for the reindeer there were so many plush toys that even he couldn't help but hide properly.

The party continued with videos about a set of twins solving crimes being played and as the night wore on slowly everyone began to fall asleep. As the clock chimed two in the morning Inora let out a dainty yawn and looked around her. Chopper was still in amongst the plush toys, Brooke was sprawled across the rug with nail polish all over his finger bones, Franky was passed out amongst a pile of tissues; apparently the movies had been emotional (not that he had been crying of course) and the others were on sleeping bags and chairs, remnants of the night visible in clumpy makeup and bright pink hair ties. Smiling to herself Inora picked her way over to where Zoro was sitting against the bedroom door like a sentinel and climbed into his lap. She curled up against him and with another yawn and a sleepy smile she too fell asleep.


	28. New Obsessions

_Happy Holidays! This one is dedicated for you Steph. I hope you have a great Christmas and that 2012 brings happiness and new starts. xoxo_

Title: New Obsessions  
Theme: 71 - Obsession  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro has an obsessive personality.

Nami knew that Zoro didn't like the term obsessed but that was what he was.

When his parents had died he had been determined to set out on his own and to not need the help of the others. It had gone beyond desire into obsession until he would go days without eating as he didn't have the funds for food. Countless times he had been lost in woods or on the ocean but asking for help never crossed his mind.

When Zoro had met Kuina it had become an obsession to beat her. Wielding one, two, three, or countless katana in the attempt. He pushed himself to his limits and then some as the obsession overtook him. When she died the obsession shifted but didn't go away. Instead of beating Kuina – a task now impossible – he aimed to be the best. This was an obsession Nami had witnessed firsthand. Watched as it nearly killed him more than once. The obsession had a grip on him and he continued to push himself.

When Robin had pointed out another obsession to Nami she hadn't believed at first. Then she started to pay more attention and began to think that maybe Robin had a point. She saw how he was always there for her no matter what condition he was in. She remembered how when she had heard her foot in a fight he had carried on his back despite being severely wounded himself. She thought of all the times he had trekked to the difference coasts of islands with her carrying her equipment so she could survey the land for her maps. She smiled thinking of all the times he rushed to her side during a battle even if he was fighting multiple attackers at the time. It appeared that Zoro's newest obsession was Nami herself.

Zoro might not like the term obsession but Nami knew that's what he was and she was alright with that.


	29. Good Old Days

Title: Good Old Days  
Theme: 11 - Memory  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro reminisces

Zoro got up and stretched his muscles stiff from sitting for too long. His joints ached as he moved and he remembered a time when he moved easily without pain or discomfort. He used to be able to nap anywhere now he needed to nap or he wouldn't be away past dinner and to do so he needed a bed or soft chair.

"Zoro? Zoro, where are you?"

"Back here." Zoro called out.

A few moments later Nami walked into the room and shuffled over to where Zoro had settled back onto the couch. He smiled as his wife settled onto the couch beside him smelling faintly of tangerines. Her orange hair had darkened with age more of a burnished copper than the vibrant orange of their youth but she was still gorgeous. Zoro leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips the tangerine spiciness that he always associated with her enveloping him and taking him back when they sailed the seas together.

_!*!_

_The Thousand Sunny rocked gently with the waves but Nami had assured them that the fair weather would hold out for the next few hours at least. They had just escaped from a blitz marine attack and other than some bumps and bruises they had come out of it fine. The crew was taking the time to relax now that they were safely away and Zoro was about to settle in for a nap. His eyes drifted close and he listened to the sounds of the ship around him. The soft creak of the wood, the easy laughter of their captain, the waves slapping against the hull and wooden heels clicking along towards him._

_Zoro let his other senses kick in and he smelled the spicy tangerine aroma that could only mean one person. A smile pulled at the corner of his mouth and he let his eyes open slowly and focus on the tangerine goddess in front of him. Nami smiled back and dropped gracefully to the deck beside him leaning her weight into his side._

"_You know we've got an hour at least before the weather will change."_

_Zoro just smiled and tilted her head up for a kiss, they didn't just have an hour together they had the rest of their lives._

_!*!_

"Where's your mind, Zoro? I knew all those concussions would catch up eventually."

"Shut it, woman. I was just thinking about the days on the Sunny."

"You mean the good old days?"

"They weren't the good old days."

"Oh is that so?"

"We still have a lot of memories to make before it's time for reminiscing on the good old days."

"I like the sound of that."

Zoro just smiled and tilted her head up for a kiss.


	30. Surprise

Title: Surprise  
Theme: 53 – Keeping a Secret  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Keeping a secret aboard the Sunny is harder than it sounds

Chopper was practically buzzing with energy with the knowledge he had and was forced to keep secret. He went through a series of quick transformations in an attempt to shake off some of the energy keeping a secret caused in him. He was just changing back into his normal form when he heard a soft chuckle and he jumped behind the nearest coverage which happened to be a chair. Well he thought he was hiding behind the chair but really he just had part of his head behind the chair.

"Is everything alright, Doctor-san?"

"Robin! You scared me."

"Sorry, Doctor-san."

Chopper giggled nervously as the archaeologist approached him. He looked everywhere but at her as she knelt down to his level knowing that if he looked into her cerulean blue eyes he'd crack and tell her.

"Doctor-san, what aren't you telling me?"

Her words were soft and Chopper felt his resolve weakening even as the desire to share the secret with someone grew stronger. Robin tickled him softly under his chin and after squirming and giggling he found himself revealing the secret in hushed tones.

Usopp was frozen in shock half hidden behind a bookcase. He couldn't believe what he was hearing; his stories were never that good. Life always seemed to have a way of being more extreme and more intense than any of his stories ever could be. Now that the shock had worn off his body shook with excitement and elaborate tails about how to share this news with the others. Usopp all but ran up to the deck to find somebody to tell.

_That evening_

Nami smiled as everyone gathered at the table in the galley, food piled high on plates as Luffy eyed it all hungrily. She knew that they'd have to move quickly to get a decent helping before Luffy polished it all off. Looking around she watched as her family laughed and fought around her and turned to catch Zoro's eye. He smiled minutely and nodded and she felt her own smile grow at the action. She stood up and cleared her throat; an action that went unnoticed by the majority of the crew. She should've known better to even try.

"Oi! Listen up!" she shouted.

Immediately there was silence as the crew all turned to look at her with a mix of fear and adoration depending on who you looked at.

"I have an announcement to make before we eat. Now I know this is going to be a bit of a shock and it will change things around here but I think it will work out fine still. That is..."

"You're pregnant, we know. Can we eat now?" Luffy said impatiently.

"What!" Nami said shocked.

"You're pregnant. Franky told me already." Luffy said reaching for some fish.

"Franky?" Nami asked confused, her gaze turning to the cyborg.

"Sorry Nami, but Brooke told me so I figured it wasn't a secret."

"Does everyone know!" Nami half wailed.

Around her the entire crew nodded their heads and Nami sunk into her chair with a sigh. She should have known that keeping a secret on this ship wouldn't be that easy.


	31. More than just nourishment

Title: More than just nourishment  
Theme: 87 - Food  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro wants the occasion to be special

Sanji was always going on about how food was more than just nourishment and how feelings could be evoked by the smallest taste of something. Now Zoro would never – never; not even under pains of death – admit to it but when it came to food Sanji was a genius. As such he knew that bar food while adequate for Zoro's tastes would not suffice for a special occasion. It was this realization and acceptance that had him going to the archaeologist for help one afternoon when they docked at a spring island.

Zoro never liked having to admit to needing help and while Robin was never anything but polite and helpful she had the uncanny ability to get in his head and that made the swordsman anxious. However, short of Sanji she was the only choice and he sure as hell wasn't approaching the cook with anything resembling a favour.

"Err... Robin, can I ask you a favour?" Zoro said awkwardly having approached her outside her room. "Please" he added as an afterthought.

"Of course, Swordsman-san. Would I be correct in assuming it has to do with Navigator-san and tomorrow being her birthday?" Robin asked politely.

Zoro wasn't surprised she had figured it out; he wouldn't put it past her to already have an answer for him either.

"Yeah, I want to take her out for dinner but I don't know where or how much it would cost."

"Aaah and you can't ask Navigator-san for a larger share since she'd need to know why." Robin concluded with an understanding smile.

Zoro nodded trying not to feel inadequate and embarrassed about the whole ordeal.

"Well I know that Navigator-san loves sushi and this island is in fact known for it. Akira is the best restaurant in town while remaining moderately inexpensive. I'll write out the directions for you, just wait a moment." Rxobin answered before vanishing into her room.

Zoro stood outside shifting from one foot to another as he waited for the older woman to re-emerge. She did less than a minute later holding a small envelope and a sheet of paper. She handed both items to the swordsman with her trademark soft smile.

"There should be enough to cover the meal including some drinks. You can pay me back next time Navigator-san hands out our shares. No interest."

"Thank you Robin, are you sure?"

"Of course, I have nothing I need right now and it is a special occasion so we can forget interest. I'd suggest heading over now to make reservations in case they're busy tonight."

Zoro once again thanked Robin and shoving both items into his pocket headed up to the deck. He had a sneaky suspicion that the main reason she was sending Zoro now was so that he could partially learn the way before having to lead Nami there later. In the end Robin's directions helped a lot and it only took him twice as much time as it should have. Akira was a small restaurant near the center of the island surrounded by shops and other restaurants. The shop front was glass with the restaurant name spelled out in stylish, dark blue script and upon entering Zoro couldn't help but appreciate the simple yet elegant decor. He immediately felt out of place in his loose pants and t-shirt and knew he'd have to dig out something nicer to wear that night. He found the hostess; a young girl who couldn't meet his eyes from equal parts fear and attraction, and quickly made a reservation for him and Nami before exiting the restaurant.

A few hours later Zoro was once again below deck waiting in the hallway that hosted the girls' rooms. This time it was Nami he was waiting for and instead of his usual clothes he wore a pair of black dress pants along with a white dress shirt, the top two buttons undone. He had drawn the line at his katana and Kuina's white blade was still secure at his hip.

"Nami, you ready? We're going to be late." He called through the door.

"Patience, it takes time to look this good." Nami answered from in the room.

Zoro rolled his eyes but when she emerged a few minutes later he decided to never rush her again. Nami looked phenomenal! Zoro had advised her to dress up and she had most definitely done that. Gone were the short skirts and sassy tops instead she wore a formal dress in a vibrant emerald green. Zoro didn't know fabrics but whatever this was it hugged her curves and flowed with her so that her movements didn't cause awkward bunching. The dress came down to about an inch above her knees and was fashioned with some sort of sequins that made the dress sparkle as it caught light. The dress scooped low across her cleavage being held up by thin straps about the width of Zoro's thumb.

"Well?" Nami asked expectantly, striking a pose with her hip out.

"You look amazing."

The words seemed inadequate to describe how she looked. She was a vision; the shade of green complimented her colouring and made her eyes sparkle with life and youth. Zoro didn't know what it was about redheads and the colour green but whatever it was it worked. His eyes hungrily took her in once again and if he hadn't gone through so much for this dinner already he would've said screw dinner and taken her back into the room not leaving until she wholly appreciated just how good she looked.

"At the risk of sounding like the ero-cook you look like a goddess." Zoro stated trying to tamper down his passion so they'd make it off the ship.

Nami's smile grew and reaching up on her toes she pressed a soft kiss to his lips before linking her arm through his happily.

"Thanks, you clean up pretty good yourself."

Zoro couldn't help but smirk and feeling good he led her off the ship and into town. When he had gone earlier in the day he had been focussing hard and now he called up his muscle memory trying to recall which way he had gone. He still had Robin's direction with him and he knew if he got turned around Nami would sort them out no problem but he wanted tonight to be special and not like any other time they went out. It took them a bit longer than if Nami had been leading but it was faster than Zoro's previous trip to the restaurant.

They were walking up with five minutes to spare before their reservation and Zoro couldn't help feeling proud. When they entered the restaurant he heard Nami let out a soft gasp and he mentally thanked Robin for telling him about it. He escorted Nami up to the hostess stand keeping his hand at the small of her back.

"Reservations for Roronoa." He told the young lady.

"You made reservations?" Nami asked, clearly impressed.

Zoro just smirked and soon the hostess was leading them to their table in the back. Zoro automatically took the seat facing the door, a habit coming from years on the run. They were handed menus and then the hostess walked away leaving them to talk.

"This is all wonderful, Zoro. Thank you." Nami said sincerely.

"Well I figured tomorrow Luffy would have something planned so I wanted to do something special tonight." Zoro almost mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

Nami just took his hand and squeezed it lightly before returning her attention to the menu. When the waitress came by they ordered some wine and several rolls of sushi including the Red Dragon, California, Spicy Tuna and Zoro's favourite a Spider Roll. As Zoro watched Nami pop a spicy tuna roll into her mouth and close here eyes in pleasure as she chewed he knew that going to Robin had been the right thing to do.

A couple hours later they strolled back to the ship both pleasantly full. The air was crisp and Nami pressed into his side seeking warmth that Zoro was happy to share, an arm sliding around her exposed shoulders. When they got to the dock Nami stopped suddenly and Zoro looked down anxiously. The navigator however looked content as she looked up at him with a small smile. He returned the smile and leaned down to press a soft kiss against her lips.

"Happy Birthday Nami."


	32. Zoro vs The Castle

Title: Zoro vs. The Castle  
Theme: 72 – Mischief Managed  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Hogwarts AU.

Note: I saw Mischief Managed and well couldn't resist.

* * *

Nami walked down one of the many hallways of Hogwarts dodging other students. She smiled to herself as a quick glare had a first year Hufflepuff leaping to the side. First years were always easy to intimidate especially the ones that thought the emerald green on her tie meant she was going to hex them. Some whack jobs had sure done a good job of giving Slytherins a bad name but as long as she could use it to her advantage it didn't bother Nami. She had a free period and had planned on meeting Zoro in the Slytherin common room which is where she was currently headed.

"Nami-swan! Shouldn't you be in class?" A love sick voice called out to her.

Turning around she saw the blonde Gryffindor prefect who hit on her at every chance. She had shared classes with the Gryffindor boy for years now and they had the same Advanced Runes class after lunch.

"Sanji-kun, you know I have a spare now. I'm on the way to the common room, I'm meeting Zoro."

"Nami-swan, don't waste your time on that oaf, come out to the grounds with me. I'll take you for a ride on my broom." Sanji cooed.

"Sanji-kun, Zoro is my House mate. Besides don't you have lessons now?"

Bemoaning his cruel fate Sanji hurried off down the hallway to catch a staircase before it shifted. The hallway was mostly empty and Nami ducked into an alcove out of sight and pulled a folded piece of parchment out of her bag along with her wand. It was ten inches, semi-pliable willow and made with a unicorn hair. It was a thing of beauty and she loved the way it felt in her hand. After glancing around to see that she was indeed alone she tapped the parchment once as she spoke.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

She watched as slowly the Hogwarts floor plan filled itself in. Nami scanned the map for Zoro's name finding it wandering around up by the astronomy tower which was of course nowhere near the Slytherin common room. The boy's directional skills were seriously lacking and it didn't help when the castle itself seemed to be working against him. She waited for a moment to see where he'd end up but when five minutes later he was outside the castle she knew she was going to have to intervene. Finding the tunnel that would get her there fastest she erased the map with a quick 'mischief managed' and shoved it back into her bag.

Luck was on her side today and Zoro was still in the area when she got there. Some days she spent most of the spare tracking Zoro over the castle. Thank God she had the map or who knew how she'd ever find him. She was definitely right to have kept the map after coming across it in her first year.

"Zoro!" she called to the green-haired teen.

He turned around and she smiled when she saw the look of relief flash across his features before it was replaced with the more traditional scowl.

"I hate this castle, why can't it stay still."

Nami was used to this complaint and she just smiled and raised herself on her toes to give him a kiss. Zoro's hands enclosed around her waist and pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss.

"You know the common room's probable a little crowded. Not very good for studying." Zoro mused with a leer.

"Good point, we definitely want some quiet." Nami agreed.

They kissed once more and then Nami was pulling the map and wand back out this time find an empty room free of any distractions. Oh yes, the Marauder's Map had definitely been a good find.

* * *

_Note: I spent a long time deciding on who would be in what House and this is how I'd sort the Strawhats;  
Luffy and Sanji: Gryffindor  
Zoro: Slytherin (because I think his ambition to be the best overrules everything else)  
Nami and Usopp: Slytherin  
Chopper: Hufflepuff.  
Robin, Franky and Brook: Ravenclaw_


	33. Fire

Title: Fire  
Theme: 89 – Through the Fire  
Rating: T  
Words: 629  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami and Zoro are numb and they just want to feel  
Note: Lyrics from 'Walk Through the Fire', 'Rest in Peace' & 'Coda' from Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Once More With Feeling

* * *

_I touch the fire and it freezes me,_

_I look into it and it's black._

_Why can't I feel?_

_My skin should crack and peel._

_I want the fire back._

Nami stared out into the nothingness of the black, black night as her mind wandered and drifted down nameless paths. The night was like an inky black being slowly expanding over the sky and drawing a curtain on the light. Nami felt like she was being consumed by the night, becoming a part of the nothingness that stared back at her blatantly and without care. She wanted to feel, she wanted to see the light and exult. But she didn't. She didn't even feel the sadness of the night, she felt nothing; she was numb. So pulling herself off the ground she went in search of something, anything, that would bring the fire back to her life.

_I've died so many years ago,_

_But you can make me feel like it isn't so._

_Why you come to be with me,_

_I think I finally know. _

Zoro sat in the middle of the room staring at the white katana that rested on the desk in front of him. It had been her katana but he had taken it after she had left him. It was all he had of hers and he found himself just sitting there looking at it hoping that it would somehow change the way things were. It didn't. It didn't change the fact that she had died leaving him all alone and cold. He felt as if he had died with her, that she had taken his heart and life leaving him a walking, talking corpse. It had been years and he was still dead inside so he sat there and stared at the white katana.

He was still sitting there when Nami found him, came to him. She didn't waste any time on small talk and pleasantries just walked right up to him, settled herself in his lap and fused their mouths together in a kiss that was searching and needy. His hands went to her waist; small and delicate, and he held on tightly. Something sparked inside of him akin to a flutter of the heart that had long ago stopped beating.

"I want you to fuck me." Nami said bluntly.

Zoro knew he should probably question her for coming to him out of the blue like this but he didn't. He felt that stutter of his heart and the thrum of blood in his veins and just revelled in the feeling of being alive before crushing their mouths back together his hands already slipping under her shirt. He finally felt alive.

_And we are caught in the fire,_

_The point of no return._

_So we will walk through the fire and let it burn._

Nami would go to Zoro whenever the nothingness became too much and he would ignite a fire in her body. It became a habit as addicting as any drug and she knew it wasn't healthy. They couldn't keep ignoring reality and their own problems in each other's body but for now she didn't care. For now she just wanted the fire to keep burning, so she kept going back. Zoro would simply kiss her until she couldn't breathe and then fuck her as the fire consumed them. It was the point of no return and they really should've stopped and turned around. But they didn't. They didn't stop, they walked through the fire and let it burn.

_I touch the fire and it freezes me,_

_(I died so many years ago)_

_I look into it and it's black._

_This isn't real but I just want to feel_

_(But you can make me feel)_

_Where do we go from here?_


	34. Forever and Always

Title: Forever and Always  
Theme: 73. - I Can't  
Rating: T  
Words: 1,079  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: It had started with a tangerine.

* * *

Zoro had never really believed much in the power of words before. After all how could something as intangible and elusive as words compete with the physical presence of a person or the sheer power of an expertly wielded katana. In Zoro's mind words couldn't compete at least not until those two simple words. Two simple words wielded with more precision than any katana ever could. Two simple words that struck him down and changed his life forever and always.

It had started with a tangerine.

_Zoro sat with his legs crossed and his arms resting comfortable at his sides as he breathed in deeply before letting it slip out slowly between his lips. His jade green eyes were closed to the world around him as his focus turned inward and the cries of his crewmates and the rustle of the wind all dropped away. He cleared his mind of everything and simply let his energy flow through his body and felt it strengthening his limbs as his muscles surged with this new energy and focus. He wasn't aware of time when he meditated and so it was an indefinite amount later that his eyes slowly opened; focused and clear they catalogued all there was to see around him. When they took in Nami mikan grove an idea formed and he rose smoothly from the ground._

_Normally his training focused on brute strength and power but he knew from his encounter with Das Bones that it wasn't always enough. It was in the touch and sometimes something light was more powerful than the strongest blow. Today he would focus on that control and touch and Nami's mikan grove offered the perfect opportunity. The grove could use a trim and he might as well do the chore that would land in his lap no doubt now and use it as training. So it was with precise strokes and movements that Zoro sliced at the air and watched with pride as slowly the mikan grove took on a contained and healthy shape._

_It was later that afternoon that she came up to him something different shining in her chocolate hazelnut eyes. Zoro wasn't sure what the emotion was except that it made his heart beat a bit faster and awareness to surge through him. She offered him a small smile and a ripe tangerine and he could see clearly that both were sincere gestures so he swallowed any comment and simply accepted both without a word. She didn't say anything just nodded and walked away. That night he dreamed of those eyes and the taste of tangerines on her lips._

That had been the beginning as silent as the end but somehow not as deafening. The middle had been over before it really began but they had fit so much love and emotion into it that it felt like an eternity. Zoro had thought it was going to be forever and always; when she had been in his arms it had been impossible to imagine it being anything but. Even as it was kept a secret it had been real and somehow the secrecy had only made it more intense, more special. It had been theirs and no one else's and Zoro had loved every single second of it. But the lesson he ignored, the lesson that he should have remembered was that all things come to an end and their love was to be no exception.

It had ended with a tangerine.

_Zoro showered quickly, just rinsing off the sweat of training ready to replace it with a different kind of sweat. Nami would be waiting for him in the room that he had come to think of as theirs. It wasn't large and was hidden in the bowels of the ship; nothing more than an open space and a cot that creaked ever so slightly as they moved together on it. It had been weeks of training and quick showers before disappearing below to meet Nami. There would be hushed words and looks that seemed to scream emotions at him as their bodies met again and again._

_He smiled as he quickly towelled off before pulling on a fresh pair of pants ignoring a shirt for the time being. The last time he had gone down with a shirt on she had ripped it off and as sexy as it had been he only had so many shirts. So it was shirtless and without his katana that he made his way to their room. It was worth mentioning that this was the only location he could consistently go without getting lost; whatever the significance of that might be._

_He was surprised to find the room empty when he got in and wondered if Nami had gotten distracted by a map or delayed by the cook. The answer was none of the above as he realised that the room wasn't quite as empty as he had first thought. There was the cot and in the middle of it a solitary tangerine resting on a scrap piece of parchment. He ignored the sense of foreboding as he walked over to it. He picked up the tangerine turning it idly in his hand as he unfolded the paper. It was more of a message than a note written in her elegant script a couple of letters bleeding together where something – a teardrop – had stained it._

'_I can't'_

_That's all there was to it; two words. Two words that cut him to the quick and bled him dry as quick as it took to read them. The splat of the tangerine against the wall alerted him to the fact that he had thrown it and he looked at his now empty hand in shock. The note – death sentence – fluttered to the ground beside him but he didn't notice, didn't care._

Two words that changed his entire life. They sucked out the hope, the sunshine and the love. He was left a corpse, as dead as Brook or perhaps even more so. In the end forever and always had been an impossible hope, an unattainable dream that had simply taunted him with glimpses of what never could have been. Lesson learned; happiness wasn't in the cards for him. He was the demon they feared he was and love was not something the likes of him got to have. So he said goodbye to his humanity and let the demon take over forever and always.


	35. Just Another Day

Title: Just Another Day  
Theme: 41 - Teamwork  
Rating: T  
Words: 499  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Sometimes Nami and Zoro work together effortlessly

* * *

The air was quiet with the exception of the occasional melody sung by the colourful songbirds of the island. Nami had forgone any shopping this time around and had been content to sit against a tree in sight of the Thousand Sunny and work on some maps in the fresh air. Zoro had also forgone a trip into town and stayed with Nami stretched out on his back with his head resting comfortably in her lap. His eyes were closed and he allowed himself to simply enjoy the downtime and relax. It wasn't often that they got the chance to simply do nothing these days and he had given himself permission to simply take the time instead of forcing in more training.

The peace of the day was suddenly shattered by the faint sounds of stampeding feet immediately catching Zoro's notice and he sat up quickly. Nami paused in her work to look over at him questioningly and he was about to shrug when an unmistakeable, childish laughter rang out across the island; Luffy.

"Let's go." Zoro said quickly.

Nami didn't argue just scooped up her things and followed Zoro down to the ship. Zoro had already started to pull the anchor up when Luffy crested the hill a huge grin on his face and a mob close on his heels. Luckily Chopper and Usopp were with him and the others were already by Sunny so they didn't have to worry about rounding anybody up. Zoro watched as the energetic captain wrapped an arm around Chopper and Usopp – much to their protests – and shot his free arm forward just managing to close around the railing and shoot them forward. As the trio flew through the sky towards the ship their scream filled the air – two terrified, one joyful – and Zoro just shook his head and managed to sidestep out of the way as they crashed onto the deck in a heap of contorted limbs.

"We're good Nami." He called up to where the navigator had positioned herself to get them out of the port.

Nami quickly rang out orders and with the ease of practice they were executed and it wasn't long before the mob's cries faded into nothingness and they were safely back out in the waters. Well safe being relative since it was the Grand Line and you never knew when the ocean might throw something deadly at you. With sails fastened and secured Zoro let the adrenaline ease from his body and settled into his favourite spot against the mast his eyes slipping closed. When a few minutes later he heard the soft steps approaching him he didn't bother opening his eyes just shifted his katana so they were beside him instead of across his lap. Nami settled herself in his lap sitting sideways and her head came down to rest on his shoulder her silky hair brushing against his cheek. Zoro smiled softly and wrapped his arms around her content to drift back to sleep.


	36. Beauty and the DemonMan

**Title: Beauty and the Demon-Man  
Theme: 61 - Fairy Tale  
Words: 7,103 (yikes!)  
Summary: Beauty and the Beast meets One Piece. Starring Roronoa Zoro as the Beast and Cat burglar Nami as Belle.**

* * *

This is the story of a girl. Or perhaps it was his story and she was simply a part of it. The truth is the story starts before she wandered into it. The story started when he was a mere boy but this is a fairy tale after all so we must start it properly.

_~o~O~o~_

Once upon a time in a far away land there was a boy. He may not have been a prince by birth but in the dojo with a katana in his hand he was king. It was with pride and determination that he went from town to town – dojo to dojo really – and displayed his worth with a sense of superiority. And so the story went until one town that was outwardly no different from the rest.

He strolled into the dojo with as much confidence and arrogance as any prince. He issued a challenge; he would beat the master of the dojo. Standing with his feet apart and arms crossed he waited to see which adult would step forward. In the end it wasn't an adult but a girl.

"I'll accept your challenge."

The prince of blades just laughed. Irritation flashed across his features along with arrogance as he spoke haughtily.

"I don't waste my time on little girls. I'll face only the best." There was an evident sneer on the word 'girls'.

An elder man stepped forward his clothes identifying him as the master and the boy nodded curtly at him prepared to commence the duel.

"Son, I assure you she is the best."

"Fine, I shall fight her but when I win your dojo is mine." The boy spoke with disdain.

The master simply nodded and left the youngsters to it. It took all of thirty seconds before our high and mighty prince was dethroned and lying flat on his back. He pleaded his case; claiming he was holding back since she was a girl. His opponent allowed a rematch and this time he drew two extra blades in a show of seriousness. The three katana could've been thirty or three hundred for all they were worth. Again thirty seconds later he was on his back. He looked up and saw her above him her powerful aura now visible to him.

"You behave like a demon and so a demon you shall be until you wield your blade with more than destruction. A demon you shall remain until you can remove a single petal of this very rose with the sweep of your blade."

A rose appeared in her hand from nowhere and she dropped it onto his prone body. His body burned where the flower touched him and he felt the burning glow of blood red eyes as the demon took hold of him. He felt invisible shackles holding him down and tying him to the demon.

"You have five years to lean a softer touch or be trapped like this forever."

Then as if the town had been nothing more than a mirage or an incredibly vivid dream it all disappeared and he was left standing on a hilltop the single rose clutched in his hand, thorns drawing blood. The demon boy roared into the emptiness but neither chains nor rose vanished. And so he retreated into the darkness seeking solitude in his despair. The dark and crumbling castle is where our heroine found him after the dawning of his fifth year of imprisonment.

_~o~O~o~_

But first let's meet our heroine, shall we? She has a story too, A story of loss and abandonment, of being ostracized and loneliness. But it wasn't always this way; she had known love and warmth and it was those memories she held close, wrapped around her like a cloak as she set out in search of her sister. For her sister had gone missing.

While the town people thought Nojiko had run away abandoning the considerable burden of raising her younger sister our heroine refused to succumb to their lies. She knew something happened and so she set out to find and rescue her. This is what led her to the demon's lair; tracks in the dirt ending at rusted old gates.

"Hello?" she called out tentatively.

When no answer came she pushed at the gate and slipped onto the seemingly abandoned property. Pushing aside any uneasiness she brazenly went up to the large wooden doors using all her strength to push them open enough to slip through. The inside of the castle was in better shape than its exterior but a visible layer of dust covered most surfaces. She called out quietly into the stillness but was greeted with more of that same thick, stale quiet. Curiously she moved forward into the castle looking for any sign of life. Deep in the heart of the castle she heard movement and she moved towards it heedless of any potential danger. So preoccupied with finding Nojiko she didn't notice the movements in the shadows behind her.

"Nojiko?" she called out.

At first she was met with that same deafening silence but then a raspy voice reached her ears.

"Nami?"

Elated to hear her sister's voice she rushed towards its source. Nami found her sister sitting on hard cement with nothing more than some straw for a cushion. There were solid iron bars that kept her from escaping and a single candle on a stool a foot away from the locked doors. Grabbing the candle she rushed up to the bars looking in to see Nojiko scared and shivering.

"I'm going to get you out of here." Nami said fiercely already examining the lock.

"Be careful Nami, he's still around."

"Who? Who did this to you?" Nami asked quickly.

"He's a monster, a demon surely. I got lost and needed to rest. I though this place was abandoned but the demon lives here." Nojiko explained her voice shaky.

Just then a shadow fell over them dimming the sparse light the solitary candle offered.

"Oh God!" Nojiko breathed shakily before a haunted roar echoed through the room.

Trying not to panic Nami turned around and came face to face with the demon. Or face to faces because as he shook with power and rage Nami swore she saw three heads and six arms. The demon-man was naked except for a dirty pair of torn pants and his muscular body was decorated with scars; most notably a giant pink one that ran the length of his torso on a diagonal. Nami couldn't help but shudder as three pairs of blood red eyes glared at her with inhuman intensity.

"You're trespassing."

His voice was a deep growl that sent frissons of fear up and down her spine (and if she was being honest maybe one or two of excitement).

"I'm here to get my sister. She didn't mean to trespass." Nami said bravely but the demon just glared at her. "You can't just keep her here like a prisoner. I won't let you." She said hotly.

His eyebrow raised sardonically a smirk flashing across the dark face as if daring her to try and leave.

"Nami, please don't" Nojiko whispered with fear.

"You both trespassed, someone needs to pay. Are you willing to stay in your sister's place?" The demon said with a hint of mockery.

Nami looked to Nojiko shaking with fear and cold. Another couple of hours in this place and she'd be sick for sure and Nami didn't think the demon would be all that concerned with her health.

"Yes."

There was a quick flash of surprise in the demon's red eyes but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure it hadn't just been a reflection of the candle's flame.

"Nami, no!" Nojiko shouted only to burst into a fit of coughs.

"I'll stay here as your prisoner in my sister's place if you promise you'll let her leave."

The demon just nodded and with a flash of the blades Nami hadn't noticed at his waist the lock sprung open. He looked at her expectantly and keeping her shoulders squared Nami pulled the heavy door open and walked into the cell. She helped Nojiko to her feet her back to the demon and silently prayed he wasn't about to back out and lock them both in. He didn't and a minute later Nojiko was being escorted roughly away while Nami sunk to the straw tears burning her eyes.

_~o~O~o~_

Nami was startled by the appearance of someone else in the dungeon room and looked up expecting the demon to have returned. Instead it was a young man wearing a pair of sunglasses despite the darkness and Nami was surprised to find someone else living here.

"I'll show you to your room, aneki." The young man spoke as he moved to unlock the door.

"My room?" she asked confused.

"Yes, if you're staying you can't be kept down here. Come on now."

Obediently Nami followed the young man who introduced himself as Johnny. They walked down the corridor, up a creaking set of stairs, down another hallway until finally Johnny stopped outside a door at the end of the hall.

"Well, this is it. There's a wardrobe inside, you're expected for dinner at seven."

Nami stared at Johnny in confusion for a moment before anger seeped in.

"I will not be going." She spat out.

Before Johnny could protest she had opened the door, stalked inside and slammed it in his face. Dinner at seven? Fancy rooms and dinner invites didn't change the fact that she was a prisoner here. If Nami had her choice she would walk right out of this dilapidated castle and never look back but that wasn't the case so instead she threw herself on the bed and cried herself to sleep. She ignored any and all knocks on the door including the ones of the demon himself.

When she woke several hours later the room was dark and looking out the window she could see the moon high in the sky. A pain in her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten all day and she debated sneaking to the kitchen to grab something to eat. She vaguely remembered the demon saying if she wouldn't eat with him she wouldn't eat at all but surely he wouldn't notice a few pieces of bread missing. Resolved she first went to the basin of water in the en-suite bath and splashed some on her face to relieve some of the puffiness crying had caused. Feeling slightly better Nami cautiously pushed open her bedroom door half-expecting to see Johnny or someone else on guard but the hallway was empty and she didn't hear a sound. She let the door shut quietly behind her and started her search for food.

It didn't take long for her to find the dining room and from there the kitchen. The kitchen was as run-down as the rest of the castle and she couldn't help wondering how the demon had come to live here alone – well almost alone. Nami didn't really think the demon was all that social with Johnny and whoever else might happen to be here. Nami pushed aside any feelings of curiosity and, worse, concern and began to open a random drawer.

"Now that's not allowed."

She turned around to see Johnny standing in the doorway but noticed he had a hint of a smile. Nami forced herself to smile back coyly, letting her hip jut out in a slightly provocative pose.

"I was just so hungry. I couldn't help myself." She said softly.

Even though he still wore the sunglasses Nami could sense the interest and sure enough he was assuring her there was plenty of food and if she took a seat in the dining room he's bring some out for her. True to his word he brought out a bowl of heated up soup and a plate of sandwiches. It wasn't much but Nami was grateful for anything she could get and quickly finished both off. After eating she returned to her room and climbed into the large and surprisingly comfy bed. Even though she was still scared and upset she fell asleep quickly.

_~o~O~o~_

Waking up was a harsh plunge back into reality for Nami as she accepted that despite her comfortable surroundings she was in fact a prisoner for the foreseeable future. The day before she hadn't taken the time to explore the room at all and she decided she may as well do so now. The room was large with a picture glass window that faced the rear grounds and she took a moment to admire the stone fountain ringed with a circular bench. In the spring it would no doubt be a beautiful place to sit. Shaking her head Nami turned away from the window quickly; she didn't want to think about this place in the spring because she planned on being gone by then.

She returned her focus to the room itself; the bed she had slept in was a queen-sized, four poster bed with velvet curtain hangings and made of rich mahogany that promised – and delivered – luxury and comfort. Across from the bed was a wardrobe made of the same mahogany and opening it she found a few old dresses and a housecoat that was slightly moth eaten. Nami recalled Johnny mentioning the wardrobe and wondered if they belonged to a former prisoner or had simply been in the castle when the demon-man claimed it as his own. A small bedside table sat off to the left of the bed with a lamp and in the corner of the room by the window a large gilded mirror. It was a room that Nami dreamed of having as a kid but certainly never under these circumstances. There was an en-suite bathroom with just the necessities and she freshened up before venturing out of the room.

The castle was eerily quiet and she wondered what Johnny and the demon-man were up to. No one had told her she wasn't allowed to wander around so she decided to do just that starting with the floor her room was on. Most of the rooms were empty or had furniture covered in dusty drapes, clearly out of use for years now. Nami moved on to the other side of the castle hoping to find something more interesting there. She still hadn't run into anyone so she kept exploring finding another bedroom, an office and more empty rooms. She was just about to head back to her room when she noticed a small stairway leading up to a shut door. Curious she began to climb the narrow stairs.

"Aneki! Don't go there." A voice called out.

Nami turned around expecting to see Johnny but it was a different young man watching her anxiously. He wore some sort of fighting helmet and looked nervously around him.

"Why not?" Nami asked brazenly.

Unlike the demon-man neither this young man nor Johnny scared her. Just then as if summoned by her thoughts Johnny appeared from around the corner and looked up at her with a small smile.

"It's forbidden. Zoro-aniki doesn't let anyone up there."

Unfortunately that only served to heighten Nami's curiosity and she took another few steps up.

"Please!" the man half-begged.

"No one needs to know, Yosaku. He's not up there and she can be down before anyone finds out." Johnny suggested.

Yosaku immediately declined this idea and the two men started to argue so Nami took advantage of their distraction to climb the rest of the stairs and open the door. The door had closed behind her before either noticed she was gone.

The room behind the door was dark and she stood still until her eyes adjusted and she could make out shapes and shadows. The first thing she noticed was that the room was mainly empty. The second thing to register was the mess on the floor that upon closer inspection were dozens of roses mangled and sliced up. Some were fresh while others had withered and dried up indicating their age. That's when she noticed the small cabinet. Almost like one might use to display a trophy but instead locked away inside was a single red rose. The flower was almost too vibrant and she was reminded of the demon-man's eyes.

The carefully preserved rose didn't mix with the mess on the floor or the cold demon-man who held someone prisoner for trespassing. She found herself reaching towards the glass, desperate for some clue as to who this 'Zoro' was. Her fingers reached out touching the cool smoothness of the glass exterior.

"STOP!"

The roar broke the silence, shattering it irreparably as it vibrated around the room and she yanked her hand back. Turning around he looked more imposing than ever, waves of fury lifting off of him like steam as he glared and scowled with those blood-red eyes burning into her.

"Sorry, I..." Nami apologized quietly.

"Get out!" he roared, his hands pulling out three different katana.

Nami didn't wait to see what he planned on doing with them or how he would wield three and simply took off down the stairs not stopping as she whipped around the corner and down the main staircase. She thought she heard Johnny and Yosaku but ignoring their calls she exited the castle and didn't slow until she got to the woods. Stopping against a tress she bent over double trying to regain her breath and calm the erratic beating of her heart. The demon-man's roar still echoed in her ears and forced her to straighten up and keep going.

She must have been focusing on the demon still because the robbers came out of nowhere, suddenly appearing in front of her a knife pointing at her throat. Nami took a step backwards ready to fight them off as best as she could or possibly flee but her heart sank when she felt a body blocking her way. They had her surrounded and no one would hear her scream even if she could get enough breath to do so.

"You don't want to do this." She said trying to come off as cocky and bored.

The thug holding the knife laughed and inched closer the smell of unwashed male invading her senses. His hand rose in the air ready to strike and Nami couldn't help shutting her eyes against the blow that never came. Instead of the pain she was expecting there was a roar and her eyes flew open to see a flash of metal that sent the thug sprawling backwards. Stumbling back she tripped barely registering as she landed in a puddle from an earlier rainfall. She watched as the rest of the thugs converged on the demon only to be beat back with one of his three katana. It wasn't long before the demon fell to his knees the attackers all on the ground; dead or unconscious Nami didn't really know or care. She cautiously approached the demon-man who was covered in blood how much of which was his own she wasn't sure. She hesitated for only a second before helping him to his feet and offering her support they slowly made the trek back to the castle. When they got through the doors Nami directed him to the nearest chair calling out for help as she did.

"Johnny? Johnny, I need warm water and a cloth now!"

Anything else would have to wait until she saw just how hurt he was. It wasn't long before Johnny and Yosaku appeared carrying a basin of water and a few cloths. They deposited the items and backed off to give Nami room to work. The demon-man seemed to be drifting on the edge of consciousness and she hoped he hadn't hit his head in the fight. It took a couple of basins of water to clean away all the blood but thankfully it looked like the majority of it had come from the thugs. There were some minor cuts on his arms and chest but the only significant damage was to his side where it looked like one of the attackers had managed to bury his knife. It was bleeding pretty heavily and Nami knew it was going to take more than some bandages to fix it up.

"I need to stitch this up. Johnny, Yosaku, do you have anything I can use?" she asked the two men hovering behind her.

"Sure, aneki. Be right back."

"This is going to hurt. I'm sorry." Nami said to the demon-man – Zoro.

All she got in response was a grunt that she took to mean he could handle it. The others returned then and Yosaku handed her some thick thread and a curved needle while Johnny handed Zoro a bottle of clear liquid that was clearly some sort of alcohol judging from the smell.

"Wait!" Nami said grabbing the bottle away.

Zoro glared but didn't growl as she was half-expecting him to do.

"You can drink it don't worry, just let me disinfect the area some first."

Zoro nodded and she splashed some liquor over the wound and needle noticing how he tensed but didn't make a sound. Satisfied that it was relatively clean she returned the bottle and he immediately took a large swallow. Zoro managed to do nothing more than flinch for the first few stitches but at the third one he let out a strangled noise between a growl and a yelp.

"Hold still!" she chastised softly as his body instinctively pulled back.

"It hurts!" he snarled at her.

"It won't hurt as much if you'll just hold still. I'm almost done."

"This is your fault, woman."

"My fault?"

"It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't run away."

"I wouldn't have run if you hadn't scared me!" Nami retorted defensively.

Zoro opened his mouth to reply but just shut it again looking away slightly embarrassed. She put in a couple more stitches before cutting a strip of bandage to put over it. As she smoothed the tape over his skin she felt a slight ripple of muscle under her fingers as he reacted to her touch.

"Thank you for saving me out there." She said softly her eyes focused on the stark white of the bandage.

"You're welcome." Zoro replied voice also soft.

The air in the room suddenly felt thicker as the atmosphere changed and Nami realized at some point she had stopped referring to him as 'the demon' in her mind. The silence was broken by Nami sneezing loudly. Before he could even say 'bless you' she sneezed three more times a shiver running through her violently.

"Nami, are you ok?" Zoro asked uncertainly.

"I'm fine. _Aachoo! _I think I may have picked up a bit of a cold outside. I'm just going to go lie down."

"We'll make you some soup and tea, aneki." Johnny said pulling Yosaku with him.

Nami nodded tiredly the adrenaline from before gone leaving her tired, drained and wet from her fall. She rose to her feet and made to move towards the door but was overcome with dizziness and the next thing she knew the floor was rushing towards her.

_~o~O~o~_

It was reflexes alone that allowed Zoro to catch Nami and he easily scooped her up into his arms. Her eyes were closed but she was still breathing steadily so his initial anxiety eased some and he gently brushed the bright orange hair out of her face. She looked not quiet peaceful but relaxed as if she instinctively felt safe in his arms. Zoro almost dropped her when the realization that he wanted her to feel safe with him hit. For so long, even before the curse, he had brought nothing but destruction so it was shocking for him to think about safety and protection. He looked down at the girl as the depth of his feelings registered. Carefully he carried her back up to her room, hesitating for a moment before going in and laying her on the bed. He drew the blankets up over her before grabbing a cloth and soaking it in cool water to drape across her burning forehead. As the cloth hit her skin her eyes fluttered open and she blinked up at him.

"It's ok, you've got a fever but you'll be fine. You're in your room now." Zoro said softly.

"Ok." Nami said sleepily her eyes already starting to fall close.

"Wait, you should probably take off your wet clothes." Zoro said embarrassed.

Nami nodded and struggled to sit up her hands moving to the hem of her shirt. Face flushing Zoro turned away keeping his back to Nami until he was sure she was covered again. He watched as her breathing evened out and she fell into a deep sleep her chest rising and falling softly. Her face was still flushed and he felt that the cloth had dried up from the heat emanating from her forehead so he removed it and went to wet it again. Once it was back against her skin he carried the basin and a chair over and settled beside her the basin on the small bedside table. Zoro sat there watching her and periodically changing the cloth to keep it cool and damp. He was so preoccupied with his watch that he didn't notice the door open and Johnny and Yosaku come in with tea and soup. Both men were smart enough not to say anything and they placed the items on the floor just inside the door before leaving quietly.

_~o~O~o~_

The next couple of days Zoro sat with Nami keeping her comfortable and making sure she was eating. The first day she spent most of the time sleeping but by the second day her fever looked like it had broken and was on its way down while her energy seemed to be making a comeback. He was surprised by how easily the time went by whether in conversations or comfortable silence. When he left the room the second night he headed up the stairs to the attic where the flower was kept. He hadn't been up since the incident with Nami and he carefully removed the rose from the case just staring at it. He thought of the curse and how he was trapped by it and his thoughts drifted to Nami. He hated the imaginary shackles of the curse and yet here he was doing the same thing to her. He realized it would hurt to have her walk away but not as much as her only being there because she feared he'd kill her or her sister. With a sigh he placed the rose back in its case. Tomorrow he'd tell Nami she was free to go.

_~o~O~o~_

Nami woke up the third morning since she contracted the flu to find herself alone in the room that had become her own. Startled she looked around expecting to see Zoro over by the window or emerging from the bathroom with a cloth or water but she was indeed by herself. It was the first morning since the day she'd run that she had woken alone and she was surprised to feel some sort of disappointment wash through her. Nami tried to shake off the feeling, telling herself coldly that despite the last few days he was still her captor. It didn't help and she visibly brightened when a soft knock sounded against her door.

"Come in." She called out.

Disappointment once again coursed through her when Johnny stuck his head around the half open door. She tried to swallow it down and forced a small smile for the young man who was carrying in some breakfast for her. She accepted the food and answered Johnny's questions about how she was feeling. Despite the disappointment she was feeling well, the flu seemingly out of her system finally.

"That's good news, aneki. Zoro-aniki will be pleased to hear it." Johnny said enthusiastically.

"Where is Zoro?" she heard herself asking.

"Not sure, probably up in the attic. He's been there all night."

Nami thought back to the day in the attic, to the roses on the floor and that one surreal one in its own case. Clearly it had special meaning to Zoro otherwise it wouldn't be so carefully preserved and he wouldn't have freaked out at her intrusion. At first the roses had been in deep contrast to the man she had seen but after the last few days she was even more confused because she saw that despite the gruff, demonic exterior he was a sweet man and as such she was even more intrigued.

"Johnny? What is so special about that one rose?" she asked the young man.

Johnny hesitated and Nami was glad Yosaku wasn't around because clearly he would caution the other against saying anything at all. No doubt Yosaku's voice was already in Johnny's head telling him to be quiet.

"I won't tell anyone, Johnny. I just really want to know. I need to know." She pleaded.

"It goes back to almost five years ago now. I don't know all of it but a curse was placed on Zoro turning him into this demon that everyone thinks he is. The only way to break the curse has got to do with the rose. Except there's a time limit and when the time is up the curse becomes unbreakable."

"What's the limit, Johnny?"

"Five years."

"But you said this was almost five years ago now?"

Johnny was silent his expression solemn and Nami felt something dark churning in her stomach eating away at her. Fear, desperation and she didn't want to know but she had to ask.

"How long does he have left?" her voice was barely a whisper.

"I don't know exactly."

"Johnny?"

"One week."

It wasn't Johnny that answered and Nami's head whipped up to see Zoro standing in the doorway his features dark. She expected to feel fear certain he would be angry at her questions but all she felt was sadness and an intense desire to make it better. She barely registered Johnny putting the tray of food down and slipping out of the room. Her eyes were on Zoro and Zoro only as he hovered in the doorway.

"Well are you coming in?" she said quietly, trying for nonchalance.

Zoro didn't answer just walked into the room shutting the door behind him and crossing to the chair by her bed. He stayed silent as she began to eat her breakfast and Nami could sense that he was arguing with himself over something the internal conflict visible in the twitching of an eyebrow and clench of his jaw.

"Will you tell me about the rose?" she asked putting her spoon down.

"You have to understand that even before the curse I wasn't exactly a good guy. I was entirely focused on myself and getting stronger. That's what led to all of this, I brought it on myself. To break the curse I need to be able to remove only one petal using my katana."

"What? Isn't that impossible?"

"For a truly great swordsman nothing is impossible. I've been told of swordsmen who were able to cut nothing."

"Then you can do it."

"No. I've accepted that I am not great. You saw the mess on the floor up there. I can't do it."

"You can't give up, Zoro." Nami was pleading now.

"Are you feeling better?" Zoro asked abruptly changing the subject.

"What? Yes."

"Good. After you're finished eating you are free to go."

"What?"

"You are no longer my prisoner."

Before Nami could even process what he was telling her he had left the room closing the door on his way out. The truth was it was too much to process and so she focused on the last thing he said; she was no longer a prisoner. She was free to go. Her thoughts immediately shifted to Nojiko and she wondered if her sister had made it home alright. She thought of Nojiko at home, worried about her and it was that image that resolved her to get out of bed and leave. She quickly dressed in the clothes she arrived in and left the room. She passed Johnny and Yosaku on the stairs but neither said anything just looked at her with sad expressions and she knew that she would miss them.

"I'm sorry but I have to. My sister..." Nami trailed off as she felt tears well up.

Without waiting for an answer or a goodbye she left the castle at a run, not stopping until she was on the outskirts of town with tears streaming down her face. She was free she shouldn't be crying. But if she was free why did she still feel so trapped?

_~o~O~o~_

Zoro was back in the attic with the rose in his hand watching out the small window as Nami not only left but ran away like she couldn't get away fast enough. Pain tore him up from the inside and the rose fell from his grip as he collapsed to his knees soundless sobs wracking his body. Zoro felt completely hopeless even more so than the curse had ever made him. He couldn't be the man she deserved and so she wouldn't be coming back and without her any desire to break the curse now seemed worthless. Leaving the rose where it had fallen he picked himself up and headed to his chambers where he knew a large bottle of alcohol would be waiting for him.

_~o~O~o~_

To say Nojiko was surprised to see Nami come through the doors to their small cottage was an understatement. Nojiko had been certain that the only way she would see her sister again would be to stage a rescue. The only problem was that alone a rescue would be impossible and she knew enough to know that the townspeople weren't fond enough of her sister to take her word on this demon and band together. Instead Nojiko had spent the last few days trying to figure out how she could possibly save Nami and coming up depressingly empty.

"Nami! Nami, how did you get away? Are you ok?" Nojiko asked in a rush.

She immediately ran over to her sister examining her for any signs of abuse and was surprised to see none. She could tell that Nami had been crying however and she gently led her to the chair by the fireplace making her sit with a blanket wrapped around her while she made some mikan tea. When she came back with the steaming mug she saw that a few silent tears had made a reappearance as Nami stared into the flames.

"Nami? Are you hurt? Should I get the doctor?" Nojiko asked gently.

"I'm fine. I don't know why I'm crying, it is stupid."

"You escaped a demon, Nami. You have the right to be upset." Nojiko reassured her.

"I didn't escape." Nami said quietly.

"What?"

"I didn't escape, he let me go."

"He just let you go?"

"He said I was no longer his prisoner and free to go. He's not as bad as he seems, he was almost sweet."

"That demon? Sweet?"

"He saved my life when I tried to run away and then took care of me when I got sick. He acts like he doesn't care but beneath it all, behind the curse, he is a kind man."

Nojiko could only stare at her sister in shock as she tried to process all of this new information Nami had dropped on her. The idea of the red-eyed demon nursing Nami back to health just wouldn't focus in her mind's eye. A fresh set of tears started to fall from Nami's eyes and Nojiko slowly put everything together and figured out why it was that Nami was crying.

"Nami, don't take this the wrong way but why did you leave?"

"I had to make sure you were ok, Nojiko. I mean I couldn't just stay there."

It wasn't lost on Nojiko that the second part was more Nami trying to convince herself than her true feelings.

"Well now you know that I am ok. I was worried about you but I can see you are fine."

"What are you saying, Nojiko?"

"I think that maybe you should go back. Not as a prisoner but as an equal."

"I can't do that. He wanted me gone."

"Did you ever think that maybe he just didn't want you there as a prisoner? It doesn't hurt to go back. Just maybe knock this time." Nojiko said with a small smile.

Nojiko could see that Nami was seriously considering returning so she left her alone with her tea, the fire and her thoughts to make a decision on her own.

_~o~O~o~_

"Aniki! Zoro-aniki!"

Zoro growled to his empty room as he heard Johnny's excited call and pounding footsteps approaching. He took another swallow of alcohol letting the burn soothe him and wishing it would erase the pain in his heart. Maybe Johnny was coming to tell him they were under attack, the townspeople outraged by his treatment of Nami ready to slay him for being the demon he was. His door swung open and Johnny stood there panting heavily his entire body buzzing with energy and excitement. He closed his eyes but even so he could feel Johnny's presence, could sense his being hovering in the doorway. He felt a different presence and suddenly he knew it wasn't Yosaku. He could feel the breath of the person, could feel it just as he could feel Johnny's and the tree outside his window. If he kept his eyes closed and concentrated he could sense them all and his eyes flew open focusing on Johnny once more.

"You have a visitor, aniki." Johnny said with a grin.

Zoro was rising before he could even finish and dropping the bottle headed for the hallway. Sure enough standing almost timidly by the stairs was Nami. Her beautiful tangerine hair windswept and tangled but she looked absolutely breathtaking. For a moment he was speechless as he simply stared at her having a hard time believing he was actually seeing her there.

"You came back." He breathed.

"I had to." She answered simply.

Zoro felt a smile pulling at his lips, tight from being out of practice but it was there and it was the first genuine smile he'd had in over five years. The smile seemed to spur Nami on and she closed the distance between them reaching up on her toes so that she could swing her arms around his neck and bury her face in his chest. Zoro's arms immediately closed around her holding her close and he ducked his head to press a kiss to her hair.

"What about the curse?" he asked quietly.

"I don't care about any curse. But I still think you can break it."

Zoro thought about how he was able to feel the breath of the people around him and the tree outside and for the first time in a long while he began to have hope. As he gently pushed hair out of Nami's face the words of the enchantress swordswoman came back to him.

"_You have five years to lean a softer touch or be trapped like this forever."_

A softer touch? He thought about how he had carefully applied the cloths to a fevered Nami and how she made him want to be gentle. Could it be that Nami had been the key to unlocking this curse?

"I think I can do it now, because of you." Zoro said quietly, almost hopefully.

"Because of me?"

Zoro just nodded and taking her hand and a single katana from his room led her towards the attic.

_~o~O~o~_

Nami fought back a shiver as she followed Zoro up the stairs as memories of her last time up there threatened to resurface. She wasn't afraid though, she trusted Zoro to keep her safe curse or not. He simply wasn't the same man he was when he had roared at her so threateningly.

"Stand back to be safe." Zoro cautioned before dropping her hand.

Nami nodded and stayed put as Zoro went forward and collected the rose off the floor before gently placing it on a small table and taking a step back. She watched as he dropped into position ready to draw his katana and take a deep breath his eyes falling closed for a second before they opened once again. Then he moved so fast that Nami almost missed it and he was replacing his katana in its scabbard.

She held her breath as he calmly walked forward to the rose and reaching out grasped the stem. His hand was shaking ever so slightly as he picked it up and Nami almost looked away. Then one solitary petal broke away from the flower and they both watched in silence as it slowly fluttered to the ground. Zoro turned around to face Nami astonishment written on his face along with pride and she couldn't help but laugh happily.

"You did it!" she said cheerfully.

"I can't believe it. I really aarghh..."

Zoro cut off as pain crossed his features and he doubled over hands clawing at his chest.

"Zoro!" Nami screamed crossing over to him.

Zoro stayed hunched over for a moment, panting heavily before straightening out and meeting Nami's eyes. As she looked into his eyes looking for any traces of the sudden pain that had rocked him she almost didn't notice at first. She blinked and reached her hand out tentatively to stroke his cheek as she looked into a pair of brilliant emerald green eyes. They were light and shone with love and mischief.

"Zoro?" she said hesitantly.

"The curse. It's gone, I can feel it. I feel free."

Nami let a smile grow on her lips mesmerized by the startling and intense green of his eyes. His real eyes, not the cold, hatful red ones that had come with the curse. Then with a smirk he yanked her closer and his mouth found hers in a sweet kiss. Nami wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the love she felt.

What happened next? Well life got more interesting for both of them that's for sure as they constantly pushed and challenged each other. But of course they wouldn't have it any other way and do you really need to ask? Ok, yes.

And they lived happily ever after.


	37. Play On

Title: Play On  
Theme: 67 – Playing the Melody  
Rating: T  
Words: 418  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: When he hears the melody he knows it is an invitation

A soft melody drifted out across the deck of the Thousand Sunny and into the darkening evening sky. The corner of Zoro's mouth twitched as he verified that all of his weights were secure and wouldn't roll about causing damage to the ship. A few weeks back Brook had leapt on to the ship shaking with excitement over his new purchase. According to Robin it was a gramophone and was a common method of playing music in the pre-pirate era. Discs were placed on a spinning surface and somehow the music was then transferred through a needle and out a large horn without the help of any Den Den Mushi's or tone dials.

Brook wasn't the only one to get excited over the contraption and the navigator had soon become enthralled spending most nights playing the various discs. The music stopped and Zoro paused waiting to see which one would be chosen next, wondering if it would be that special one. A few seconds later a haunting note echoed through the air sending frissons up his back. Zoro knew it wasn't the first song on the disc but Nami knew exactly where to place the needle to get the start of it. The pace was slow and each note seemed to resonate with emotion. Checking the last of his equipment Zoro climbed down and headed towards the aquarium room where the gramophone was set up.

He paused in the doorway to just admire the scene before him. Nami was sitting on the floor in front of the gramophone with her legs stretched out in front of her leaning back on her arms. Her head was tilted back eyes closed and a soft smile on her pink lips. She looked carefree and beautiful as if in her own little world where she didn't have any pressures or worries. He didn't say anything as he walked into the room – he never did – he just went in and placed all three katana carefully on the floor. Nami didn't open her eyes but Zoro knew she was aware of his presence. After all that is why she put the song on; an invitation to join her which he always accepted. The swordsman lowered himself to the ground beside her with his back against the couch. He leaned over to press a soft kiss against Nami's temple smiling as the navigator responded with a happy hum. They didn't speak they simply sat there in easy companionship and listened as the melody played on.


	38. Found

Title: Found  
Theme: 46 - Family  
Rating: T  
Words: 583  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro contemplates the meaning of family

Growing up Zoro never truly had a family, he was on his own by age five not that he truly remembered much of the years before. Logically he knew he had parents but they had never done much for him which is why he set out on his own to begin with. He had wandered on his own until he came to the dojo where Kuina lived and even though he became close with both her and her father they were never truly a family. They cared about each other but that was about it. After Kuina's death he had decided that caring was not worth it.

Of course that was until he met Luffy and the pirate had given him no choice in the manner recruiting Zoro into his family and making him care. He hadn't wanted to; in fact he had tried to resist both Luffy and any feelings. But try as he might he couldn't help but care for the crew and this time it went beyond simple affection. There was just something about the bouncy captain that inspired devotion and love. Luffy truly made the Strawhats into a family and Zoro finally understood what family was about. He felt it in the way he was willing to lay his life down for each and every one of them, how his happiness would be incomplete without theirs and how even when they fought he knew they would still be there for him.

Then there was Nami. The spunky, quick-tempered navigator meant more to him than family. She was his reason for being, the one who always challenged him, the only one who could frustrate him so easily and turn him on even quicker. She was his everything. At the moment she was sitting on their bed in front of him with a slight nervousness that he was unused to seeing in her. Nami's eyes were downcast as she fidgeted and Zoro crossed the room to her bending down and tilting her head up so he could see her face.

"What is it, Nami?"

"I'm sorry, I know this isn't great but I'm pregnant."

Zoro felt as if one of Sanji's kicks had connected with his stomach knocking the air out of him and leaving him feeling a bit nauseous. Instantly hundreds of worries occupied his mind; would he be a good father, would it be possible to raise a baby on a ship not to mention babies and blades were never a good combination. These worries rushed through his mind as Nami's words sank in but then he saw her face and the fear that was still there and he knew that none of the worries would matter. Leaning down he dropped a quick kiss to her lips before speaking.

"Don't apologize, Nami. It might not be an ideal time but it might never be ideal that doesn't make it a bad thing." He said simply.

"Do you mean it? You're not mad?" Nami asked cautiously.

"I could never be mad that you're carrying my child. It won't be easy and I'll probably be lousy at things but we'll deal with it together."

As Nami's arms wrapped around his neck Zoro thought once more about family and how it had slowly become a reality for him. With Nami in his arms and the image of her stomach rounding with their child in his eyes he thought how grateful he was that he had finally found a family of his own.


	39. The Letter

Title: The Letter  
Theme: 81- Pen and Paper  
Rating: T  
Words: 532  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up. Not my characters.  
Summary: Nami asks Zoro to write a letter

Apart they were about as innocuous as two objects could be. They weren't dangerous or exotic in any way and Zoro would scoff at the thought of either of them getting the best of him. He could snap the one and tear up the other without the slightest effort and yet put them together and he was beat – not that he was admitting to it. He sat there scowling at the objects before him; pen and paper.

Zoro considered snapping the pen but he knew Nami would only produce another with a reprimand and a fee no doubt. He let a few choice words slip out on an exhale. This was all Nami's fault and this time it was no exaggeration. Somehow the navigator had gotten it into her head that if Zoro couldn't tell her how he felt he'd be able to express it in words. As far as Zoro was concerned the fact that he was even considering this showed how much he cared.

On the deck beside him there was a pile of crumpled paper taunting him with his inability to express himself. Picking up the pen he scrawled 'I like you' across the top of the sheet only to growl and scratch it out. It seemed so inadequate and childish. He got as far as writing "I lo-" before crumpling up the entire sheet of paper. If he couldn't tell Nami in person he wasn't going to cop out and leave it in a note. This of course left him right back at the beginning with a blank sheet of paper and no idea what to write on it. There were emotions in his heart and words in his head and while he knew how to show Nami that he cared for her but whenever he tried to tell her how he felt or to write it down something blocked him and nothing came out.

Zoro sat at Nami's desk with pen and paper for another hour before finally keeping something he wrote. It wasn't great or memorable but it was true and real and in the end that was all he could hope to get out. He picked up the mess of crumpled papers and tossed them in the trash before folding the final sheet and printing Nami's name across it. Leaving the sheet on the desk he left the room.

That night Nami walked into her map room and picked up the paper that sat on her desk. She held it in her hand recognizing the importance of what was written inside no matter what it said. A part of her expected it to be blank, the part that knew how unfair it was to ask him to do this but she still hoped that somehow she'd finally learn how he really felt. She took a deep breath and opened the paper taking in what was written. Her heart constricted and she knew what deep down she had always known; she already knew how he felt. Smiling she tucked it into her drawer and went off to find Zoro.

The note stayed safely in her drawer something to be treasured always.

'Actions speak louder than words.'


	40. Think It Over

Title: Think It Over  
Theme: 52 - Deep in Thought  
Rating: T  
Words: 549  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up. Not my characters.  
Summary: Nami is deep in thought when Zoro approaches her

The Thousand Sunny was docked at an attempt of an island that was nothing more than some sparse trees over a couple hundred acres of land spotted with a pond or two. It wasn't enough of an island to offset the Log Pose and so the crew had decided to stop to rest a bit and do some minor touch-ups on the ship. Nami had planned on mapping the topography of the island but soon discovered just how little there was to it and doing up a quick sketch put her tools aside content to just relax with some of the others. She laid back on the grass her eyes drifting close to better feel the almost tingling sensation of the sun on her skin. Beside her Usopp was propped against a tree working at something in his sketchbook and she could hear the soft, mournful tones of Brook's violin slightly further away. Lying there her mind began to drift and as it was prone to do these days it drifted to thoughts of the swordsman.

Her mind conjured up images of the man some from memory some compilations and some purely imagination. A memory of Zoro's hands wrapping around her waist to lift her up in Alabasta morphed into Zoro tossing her onto a bed and stalking after her. Compilations of Zoro working out led to the image of the swordsman stripping off his shirt and stretching his muscular body over hers. She continued to lie there entranced by her own lascivious thoughts as the sun warmed her skin and the imagined Zoro heated up her insides. It took a lot of self control to keep silent as she let a smile play across her features as the images continued to unfold in her mind her body tingling from more than just the sun by now.

Suddenly she felt a prickling sensation rush over her skin and she knew without opening her eyes that it came from Zoro's eyes on her. She fought a rising blush and slowly opened her eyes to be met with the steel grey of the swordsman's piercing gaze. Nami knew in that moment that Zoro knew what was on her mind and that she had lost her battle with the blush. Her heart rate quickened as she took him in standing over her nonchalantly with one hand resting casually on the hilt of his pure white katana. His eyes scanned over her body and she felt a shiver run through her as her mouth suddenly lost all of its moisture. He moved slowly, deliberately kneeling down beside her his hand inches away from her waist. As he lowered his head Nami was sure that he was going to kiss her and she unconsciously wet her lips in invitation. Instead of kissing her however his lips went to her ear.

"Let me know when you want to do more than think about it."

Zoro's voice was dangerously husky and Nami had no control over the way it made her stomach coil and her nipples harden. Before she could answer Zoro had stood up and walked casually back towards the ship leaving Nami a touch away from panting on the grass. The only coherent thought to sift through her mind at the moment was 'fuck'.


	41. Long Day

Title: Long Day  
Theme: 21 - Vacation  
Rating: T  
Words: 745  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Zoro could use a vacation

Zoro woke to the sound of Luffy screaming for food, a sound that was quickly followed by the familiar noise of a body being kicked into a wall. Groaning he stretched himself out wincing at the pull of cramped muscles; falling asleep sitting up wasn't always comfortable. The swordsman crawled down from the crow's nest just in time to jump into the freezing cold water to rescue a certain captain who had overshot the distance from rail to rail (again). Cursing he heaved both Luffy and himself out of the water as the rubber boy laughed at the misadventure. Zoro left the younger boy on the deck and headed below to change into dry clothes ruing the start to his day.

Breakfast was as annoying as usual with Nami handing out fines to Brook and Luffy for asking about her panties and stealing her food, respectively. The cook was a drooling mess over the whole ordeal of course and if Zoro wasn't so hungry he would've started a fight then and there. As it was he was starved and he focused his energy on the task of eating and protecting his food from the captain. Once his hunger was sated he left to start his daily training only to discover one of Usopp's experiments had exploded all over the weights covering them in a noxious yellow slime. The next hour saw him glaring over the quaking sharpshooter as he cleaned up the mess until not a single drop of yellow ooze remained.

This of course meant he was late to start his training and by the time he got it underway it was almost noon. Not wanting to quit in the middle of his regime he kept at it which resulted in Sanji coming out to yell at him for not coming in for lunch. Typically a fight ensued and Zoro fought with all of his pent up frustrations of the day. The fight showed no signs of stopping – both boys too primed – so Nami came out to end it just as Zoro was beginning to feel better. Obviously the ero-cook fell over backwards to obey the sea witch and Zoro was left still itching to fight.

"Tsh! Always interfering." He complained.

Nami just smiled serenely and pet his arm.

"It's lunchtime. You two can fight all you want after."

This did little to appease him however and they never did get to continue the fight as one of the Grand Line's freak storms hit and everyone was busy securing the ship. Zoro roared in frustration as he saw the captain get swept overboard and before anyone could react Brook had stupidly jumped in after him. Luckily this time Chopper had stayed safely on deck leaving Zoro with only two prone bodies to fetch from the torrential waters. Once everything was secure and Nami assured them they could rest Zoro went down to his rooms to change into dry clothes for the second time that day.

Once changed he threw himself onto the bed the day having taken its toll on him. He would head back up soon but for now he just wanted a moment of peace. A few minutes later Nami walked in shucking off her rain slicker and grabbing a towel. He watched lazily as she dried her hair vigorously before examining her outfit for dryness.

"You should probably take them off."

"Eek!" Nami screamed clutching the towel to her chest. "Shit, Zoro! You scared me I thought you were upstairs in some corner sleeping."

Zoro laughed and just shook his head.

"Thought I'd hide out here for a bit instead."

"The great Roronoa Zoro is hiding out?"

"You don't know the day I've had, woman." He growled.

Nami laughed lightly before stripping off her damp clothes and wrapping the towel around her body. She walked over to their bed and sat down on the edge leaning over Zoro. Her hair fell forward and he reached up to push it behind her ear so he could see her face.

"Sounds like you could use a vacation." She murmured.

"We both know any vacation with Luffy won't be all that relaxing."

Nami just smiled and leaned down to press a lingering kiss against his lips.

"So maybe we'll just have to make our own vacation." She purred.

Zoro felt a smirk stretch across his face as his hands moved to tug at the towel. Yeah, he could definitely use a vacation like that.


	42. Beauty in the Breakdown

Title: Beauty in the Breakdown  
Theme: 43 - Dying  
Rating: M for sensitive subject  
Words: 1,456  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: He's dying and she is helpless.

AN: I was a bit emotional when I wrote this and they came out here so be warned. Also POV switches about.

* * *

She was pissed, no that was too mild for what she was feeling. She was irate. She reached blindly for something – anything – and the second her fingers closed around the ashtray it was flying across the room. It hurled into the far wall before shattering into a splash of pieces on the deck. The resounding thud and resulting shatter felt good so Nami picked up another item and another until an inkpot, a glass, a vase and Zoro's blade polishing kit joined the ashtray on the deck. Zoro's kit was the last thing she threw and as it burst open spilling out the cotton swabs and polish she couldn't hold on to her anger any longer. It didn't flow out of her but was rather yanked viciously as if by some enemy determined to see her fall.

-0-

Nami's nakama had been watching from a safe distance not wanting to catch her wrath as she exploded. Sanji noticed first and years of battle skills allowed him to reach Nami's side just before she hit the deck. Gone with the anger was her bravado and Sanji held her helplessly as she fell apart broken sobs racking her thin frame.

"He's going to be alright, right Sanji? He's going to be ok."

Sanji's heart broke as Nami sobbed in his arms and he would give up anything – even All Blue – to be able to reassure her but it just wasn't that easy. He murmured useless platitudes about how Zoro was strong, about all he had overcome but even as he said the words he couldn't help but wonder if this time it had been too much for the swordsman's body to take. Nami was near hysterical by now and Sanji knew that she would benefit from a sedative except Chopper had his hands full with Zoro. So he just held her and rocked slowly in an attempt to calm her breathing and quiet her sobs.

He looked up as Luffy approached, the boy had been deathly quiet since they'd found Zoro, standing outside the ship infirmary with his face dark and unreadable. Sanji knew this was a nightmare come to life for the captain and he prayed harder for the swordsman to pull through. Luffy didn't say anything as he walked over a small syringe in hand. He inserted the tip into Nami's shaking arm with surprising ease before dispensing the liquid. Nami looked up at him shaking and gasping for breath as tears streamed down her face. Chocolate eyes bright with tears were already beginning to dull as the medicine started to take effect. Luffy took his hat off and pressed it into her hands without a smile.

"I'll be there. Rest." He said solemnly.

Nami took a shaky breath and nodded before her eyes slipped close and Sanji felt her go limp as the sedative granted her some temporary peace. Luffy walked back to his station outside the infirmary and Sanji carried Nami down to her room. He stepped back from the bed and looked at the sleeping navigator. Luffy's hat was gripped tightly in her right hand and he knew it was a symbol of security for the navigator. In her left hand, holding tight through both anger and despair was Zoro's blood soaked haramaki.

-0-

On some level Chopper registered the hysterics going on outside the room but he would have to leave that to the others because he couldn't spare a single second for anything beyond the broken man on his table. There was more blood than Chopper had ever seen before and he was grateful Robin was there calmly sprouting arms all over the gurney to staunch the bleeding. Thankfully the doctor had recently forced everyone to donate a few pouches of blood to store in case of emergency. Zoro's pouches were hooked up and ready to go but Chopper knew it would be futile if he couldn't slow down the loss some first. The swordsman was dying; bleeding out from too many, too deep wounds. From his quick perusal Chopper had counted upwards of twenty cuts of varying depth over the already scarred body. That wasn't even getting into the broken bones and what Chopper suspected was a ruptured appendix causing a potentially deadly infection. Right now there was just too much blood to tell, so he continued to stitch up the wounds he could and cauterize the ones he couldn't slowly making headway on easing the blood flow.

-0-

The smell of burnt flesh sat in the air mixed in with the blood as Chopper cauterized another wound. Robin tried to ignore the smell and focus on staunching the blood flow in still open wounds. Her stomach rolled at the smell bringing back an unwanted memory of rowing away from a burning island pregnant with the very same smell. She shut it down quickly before it could consume her, moving one of her hands to give Chopper more room. The small doctor moved frantically from wound to wound fighting against the clock to stop the bleeding before it stops for good.

After what seems like hours Chopper finally has stopped it all and connected the pale, unconscious swordsman to the blood supply. But Robin doesn't give a sigh of relief because she knows it's not over yet. There are still bones to set and even then the transfusion might be too little too late.

-0-

Nami could feel consciousness plucking at her like worn guitar strings but for some reason she wanted to fight it. She kept her eyes closed holding perfectly still in an attempt to avoid it. It came anyways and as it settled around her she was pierced with the realization of why she wanted to stay asleep.

"Zoro" the one word ripped from her throat as pain and hollowness lanced through her.

She struggled to sit up in the bed the sheets suddenly getting heavier and more twisted, Nami shoved them aside the nauseatingly horrific image of Zoro burned in her mind. She recalled perfectly – too perfectly – the image of Zoro on the ground surrounded by blood the open wounds leaving no hope that it wasn't his. She remembered seeing him eyes glassy and unresponsive and knowing deep down that in that moment he was dying. He was dying for her and there was nothing she could do about it.

She was barely above deck before Sanji was at her side urging her to sit down. She couldn't, wouldn't though because they make you sit down before bad news and she foolishly thought that staying standing would keep him alive. She vaguely registered the pain in Sanji's eyes as he tried to reason with her but she couldn't cope with anyone else's pain right now.

"Nami!"

The navigator froze at her captain's voice. It was strong and serious and when he spoke like that you had to stop.

"Nami, sit down."

Luffy's words made the tears come, not the hysterics of earlier but silent tears that Sanji found all the more heartbreaking. He watched as she slowly slid into a chair her eyes large and beseeching on the captain. Her entire being was begging him not to tell her that Zoro was gone. Luffy approached her carefully and Sanji had to look away from the sheer pain radiating from Nami

"Please..." she barely whispered.

"Chopper and Robin did everything they could but it is up to Zoro now."

"What? He's not... he'd not dea..."

"No. Chopper has him stabilized but he was hurt really bad and he needs more than just a nap to fix it this time."

"But he's alive?"

Sanji could hear the hope in her voice and he prayed the swordsman wouldn't let her down.

-0-

_TWO WEEKS LATER_

"Chopper! Chopper!"

Nami's cries for the doctor rang out across the ship and the reindeer was followed closely by Sanji and Luffy all three bursting into the infirmary. The first thing Sanji noticed was that Nami was crying again and for a second he feared the worst until he noticed the smile on her face.

"He's awake." She informed them happily.

Luffy gave a shout of joy while Chopper immediately began to check the swordsman – who was indeed awake – over and ask him questions. Nami was clutching his hand tightly and it was with a small smile of his own that Sanji backed out of the room to go prepare something for the recovering swordsman. When he returned Nami was berating Zoro who for his part just held her close as her fear ebbed away with the heated words. Sanji left the food on the desk and walked away relieved that the swordsman, and with him Nami, seemed to be on the road to recovery.


	43. Give In

Title: Giving In  
Theme: 66 - Traps  
Rating: M  
Words: 2,000  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: It's a game of wills and embarrassment. Who will give in first?  
AN: This one is dedicated to my beautiful and amazing Galleta since she always enjoyed a playful Zoro. I hope you get a chance to read this soon, love.

They had a game going on, well it was more of a challenge than a game and they had been at it for several weeks now. The goal of the challenge was to get the other person into an indecent situation and forfeit. Just the night before Zoro had gotten out of the shower to discover that not only had his clothes been removed but so had all of the towels; including the extra ones under the sink. Zoro had been forced to make the trek from the bathroom to his quarters nude and dripping wet. The whole ordeal made worse by the fact that he had to walk past not only Nami who was smirking knowingly but Robin and Usopp as well. The swordsman had gritted his teeth and walked by being sure not to run as such an action would only give Nami more leverage. The challenge had no fixed end point in sight even though there was definitely an end point. The end point would be surrender, giving in to the other and while the tension building between them needed to be released neither was willing to be the one that caved.

Zoro's pride had taken a battering when he had to walk down that hall but it wasn't enough to break him and so instead he was plotting his next move. It had to be something good, it couldn't just be a dash to get into her room unseen or grabbing the nearest thing to cover up with. Today had to be something that would make her beg to stop things and just take her then and there.

Nami was anxious. She had hoped that the shower walk would have pushed the swordsman over the edge but while his skin had been flushed pink he had sauntered past determination in his eyes. And since he hadn't given in that could only mean he was planning on getting even. A possibility that both frightened and exhilarated the navigator. There was a part of her that wanted to give in because she knew that when she did it would lead to positively mind-blowing, orgasmic sex. But that was the end result either way and if Zoro could hold off longer than her pride wouldn't allow her to do anything but the same.

Still she knew that meant she was in for some exquisite torture and she couldn't help but be anxious.

"Nami?"

Zoro's voice calling her name had her heart picking up in speed and she cautiously turned to look at the swordsman. He was leaning against the rail with his arms crossed casually across his chest but the casualness was deceptive and she knew that he was ready to surge into action at a moment's notice. It was enough to put her on edge and she knew it was in no small part due to their little game.

"Yes?" she said striving to sound normal.

"What's the weather looking like for the day?" he asked without shifting.

"The weather?" Nami repeated dumbfounded, Zoro had never cared about the weather before at least not enough to ask her about it in advance.

"That is your specialty, is it not?" Zoro replied his voice slightly mocking.

"Er, yes. You just took me by surprise, is all. Today should be relatively clear. There are some storm clouds but from the patterns of the winds in this area they will most likely get blown out of our way before we reach them."

"Good to know." Zoro said smoothly before pushing off from the rail and walking away.

Nami was left speechless her anxiety increased twofold and a thrum of anticipation building low in her belly. She looked over her shoulder but the swordsman was already out of sight and she tried to shake off the tension and concentrate on her tasks for the day. It was no use though, she couldn't concentrate on anything. She tried working on some maps but after ruining one with some ink blotches she gave up not wanting to ruin another. She had equal luck with a book and she couldn't even find it in her to order the boys to do some chores. Zoro effectively had put her on edge until he chose to act.

Zoro smirked to himself as he swung the 500 pound weight around in the more difficult version of the traditional katas exercise. From his position in the crow's nest he was able to keep an eye on the navigator and it was quite clear he had her flustered. He laughed as she tossed her book onto the table in frustration, tension no doubt building within her. The question about the weather had served a dual purpose of discovering the odds of her being free all day and putting her on edge. He was well aware that Nami would be thrown by the question because he never showed an interest in the weather. Nami was fidgeting down on deck but Zoro just continued with his exercises. Anticipation was going to be key in breaking her.

Nami swallowed thickly as the swordsman came into sight for the first time since his earlier question. He had clearly been working out as he had shed his shirt and his tan skin was shiny with a sheen of hard earned sweat. She couldn't help but be mesmerised as a drop of sweat made its way from strong shoulders down across the perfectly sculpted and dangerously scarred chest before getting lost in the haramaki wrapped around his waist. Nami's mouth went dry and she fought to tear her gaze away as the coals of desire and anticipation from before were stoked. Desperately she reached out for the glass of sweet tea Sanji had brought earlier as she tried to cool herself off before Zoro could notice just how worked up she was.

(He noticed.)

She saw his hand move and instinctively lowered her eyes to watch, nearly groaning as his fingers caressed the hilt of his black and red katana in a seemingly innocent and subconscious gesture that was anything but. Nami was certain that it was a planned seductive act because of three things. One; Zoro almost never did anything subconsciously, two; when he normally touched the katana it was the pure white of Kuina's blade and three; the look of pure heat in his grey eyes was unmistakable as anything but seduction. And damn if her body didn't react.

Her thighs clenched together in a vain attempt to stifle the burgeoning desire that was threatening to overwhelm her. She made the mistake of meeting his eyes which were burning with need and had her pulse quickening. Zoro smirked which was entirely unfair given that he knew what that confident little twist of his lips did to her. Given the buildup of the past few weeks she was even more susceptible to its charm and she knew this was part of his plan but she didn't have the power to resist.

Zoro's smirk grew as Nami fidgeted and he could practically smell her desire. He knew that if he asked she would follow him down to their room right now but he didn't just want her to concede to truly win he needed her to beg. So he forced down his own desire with the skill of years of practice and focused on the task at hand. Casually releasing the hilt of his katana he reached up to idly scratch at his chest his eyes taking Nami in noting all of her discomfort and arousal with satisfaction.

"I guess I should shower before lunch." He said casually, the comment working two-fold to put the image of him naked into Nami's mind and reminding her of her attempt the night before.

"Good idea." Nami said tightly, eyes dark with passion.

Zoro smiled to himself as he sauntered away relishing a quick shower before putting the final part of his plan into motion. One way or another by sunset Nami would give in.

After Zoro had disappeared below deck Nami drained the last of her sweet tea in a vain attempt to cool herself down. It was not surprisingly of no use her body too worked up to be sated by anything other than release. She cursed softly ruing the decision to ever start this contest of sorts with the swordsman. When Sanji called out that lunch was ready Nami was relieved for the chance to pull herself together because surely meal time aboard the Thousand Sunny was too hectic for anything other than eating. Nami was looking forward to the opportunity to quell her desire and shore her defenses for whatever the swordsman had planned next.

Lunch started innocuously enough with Sanji presenting a feast and Luffy diving straight in. Nami's desire was pushed to the back burner as she focused on making sure anything she put on to her plate stayed there and wasn't pilfered by the captain. As such she was completely unprepared when Zoro reached across her to grab another piece of meat and his hand brushed incongruously against her chest.

"Sorry" Zoro mumbled before tearing a chunk of the drumstick in his hand.

Nami almost believed the gesture was an accident despite the tingling it caused in her body but when a moment later it happened again when the swordsman reached for the sake bottle she knew it was planned. Planned or not it didn't prevent her nipples from beading tightly at the contact. She tried to focus on the food in front of her but it was proving rather difficult. Every time Zoro moved she flinched in anticipation of contact which never came. Luffy managed to steal half the meat on her plate before she noticed and she was too worked up to even properly chastise him. The meal was almost over when Zoro reached across her once more for another bottle of sake and she steeled herself against the brush of his hand. Except it never came at least not where she was expecting. Nami nearly jumped out of her skin when a large, calloused hand pressed warmly against her exposed thigh a bit too far up to be considered appropriate.

"You seem a bit… excited." Zoro growled in her ear.

She was acutely aware of the emphasis he put on the last word and the answering ripple low in her stomach. Nami clutched her thighs together tightly and tried to keep some semblance of calm.

"You know I could help you with that."

Zoro continued to speak in a soft growl that belied all of her efforts at resistance and on she found her thighs slipping open on their own accord, the heat of Zoro's hand moving closer to where she needed him most.

"Nami-swan, are you ok? I hope you aren't feeling sick." Sanji interrupted her thoughts with his saccharine cooing.

"Fine! I'm fine." She answered quickly knowing her face was no doubt flushed.

Zoro's hand hadn't moved from her inner thigh and she knew if she didn't stop him he was going to make her come right there at the table surrounded by her nakama. Nami had the feeling that it wasn't going to be quiet either and admitting defeat was probably the less embarrassing outcome now. She was trapped and she knew it and so did the swordsman.

"I give up. My room now, please." She spoke low enough for only Zoro to hear.

The swordsman smirked at her before removing his hand from her thigh only to grab her chin and tilt her head up before capturing her mouth in a searing kiss that left her panting. She blinked owlishly as he got up with a lazy smirk and sauntered out of the kitchen.

"Thanks for lunch ero-cook."

Nami waited a couple minutes before going after the cook and later when she was lying on her bed recovering she couldn't help but think that defeat had never felt so good.


	44. The Way I Loved You

Title: The Way I Loved You  
Theme: 44 - Two Roads  
Rating: T  
Words: 1,914  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami is faced with two roads and she needs to choose one

Note: Title and lyrics from Taylor Swift's 'The Way I Loved You' Bold is lyrics, Italics is flashbacks

**He is sensible and so incredible  
And all my single friends are jealous  
He says everything I need to hear and it's like  
I couldn't ask for anything better**

**He opens up my door and I get into his car  
And he says, you look beautiful tonight  
And I feel perfectly fine**

Nami walked into the ballroom on Sanji's arm and she didn't miss the way both men and women looked their way. She knew they made quite the couple so she wasn't surprised by the attention. Sanji guided them over to the table they had been assigned and pulled out the chair for her.

"Would you like something to drink, Nami-swan?" Sanji asked

"I'll have a glass of red wine, please. Thank you Sanji-kun." She answered with a smile.

As the blonde walked away her smile faltered a bit as she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Sanji had been nothing but a gentleman all evening from showing up exactly on time to the sincere compliments on her appearance. There was nothing to fault him and yet the feeling persisted. She heard footsteps approaching the table and turned back around with a pleasant smile expecting it to be Sanji with their drinks. Instead of the cook Nami found herself looking into the guarded eyes of Roronoa Zoro.

**But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain  
And it's 2 am and I'm cursing your name  
You're so in love that you act insane  
And that's the way I loved you**

**Breakin' down and coming undone  
It's a roller coaster kinda rush  
And I never knew I could feel that much  
And that's the way I loved you**

_Several eyes turned to them as they walked into the ballroom, some disapproving others with knowing looks and had to Nami fight the urge to smooth her hair under their gazes. She had of course checked in the car and it was fine. They hurried to their seats and slid into them quietly as the banquet proceeded around them. She turned to glare at her date – after all his animalistic lust was the reason they were late – but Zoro just smirked knowingly and she felt her cheeks flush. When a waiter came by to drop off their salads – they'd missed the soup course – Zoro ordered a whisky for himself and a Tom Collins for her. Nami waited until the waiter had backed away before turning to Zoro._

"_What, you're just ordering for me now?" she said dryly._

_Zoro stared at her in shock for a moment before opening his mouth to retort._

"_How about a thank you, woman?"_

"_You didn't even ask what I wanted. You just assumed."_

"_You ordered a Tom Collins last time we went out and the time before and pretty much always so yeah, I assumed."_

"_Well maybe I don't want one this time."_

"_Fine I'll drink both, order your own damn drink."_

"_I will." Nami snapped before turning to her salad._

_When their drinks were brought Zoro pointedly took a long swallow of the Tom Collins while Nami ordered a glass of wine. She didn't really want the wine but she wasn't going to let Zoro know that. It was a matter of making a point because she had a mind of her own and he couldn't just go around deciding things for her. They spent the remainder of the dinner in tense silence much to the discomfort of the others at their table. When the dinner wrapped up and a band started playing Nami was surprised to see Zoro turn towards her with a hand out._

"_Want to dance?" he asked quietly._

"_But you don't dance." She questioned._

"_Do you want to or not?" he snapped._

"_Yes."_

_Nami let him take her hand and lead them over to the dance floor and when he pulled her close she couldn't help the large smile that stretched across her face. Her heart swelled with more love than she thought she was capable of feeling and she forgave him everything._

"Zoro!" she breathed out startled by his appearance.

The man in front of her just nodded his head in greeting before taking his seat at the table. Nami didn't know what to say or if she should say anything at all. She should have expected him to be there after all Vivi was his friend too but she hadn't seen him at the wedding. Of course she should know that didn't mean he wasn't there. She was considering asking him how he'd been when Sanji returned with their drinks.

"Your wine, my love." He offered with a smile.

"Thank you" Nami replied demurely.

**He respects my space  
And never makes me wait  
And he calls exactly when he says he will**

**He's close to my mother  
Talks business with my father  
He's charming and endearing  
And I'm comfortable**

Sanji retook his seat and was soon conversing easily with the other guests at the table with the exception of Zoro. The other man remained stoic avoiding all attempts to be brought into conversation. By the time the dinner had finished and Vivi and her new husband were taking centre stage for their first dance Nami was starting to feel uncomfortable. She had felt Zoro's eyes on her various times throughout the meal and the passion in that gaze had only highlighted the lack of passion she felt when Sanji smiled at her or leaned down to give her a soft kiss. Once more couples joined the bride and groom Nami excused herself to use the ladies room.

In the safety of the bathroom Nami let her smile fade as she studied herself in the mirror. Her dress was beautiful yet tasteful and every hair was in place for the simple twist she had put it in. Her makeup was done flawlessly but none of that could hide the slight vacancy in her eyes.

"Sanji is a great guy." She told her reflection.

Her reflection nodded back at her but they both knew she was comfortable but something was missing.

**But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain  
And it's 2 am and I'm cursing your name  
You're so in love that you act insane  
And that's the way I loved you**

**Breakin' down and coming undone  
It's a roller coaster kinda love  
And I never knew I could feel that much  
And that's the way I loved you**

_The rain was pouring down from the heavens but Nami paid it no attention as she stormed outside. In a matter of seconds she was soaked through but the downpour did nothing to ease her fury. She growled angrily into the night cursing the green-haired man and his inability to have a simple night out._

_Tonight was there anniversary and they were supposed to have gone out for dinner except the idiot had shown up late and they had missed their reservations. They had made the best of their night and Nami could still feel the delicious ache in her limbs but then Zoro had to go and open his mouth. A simple comment about how this was much better than some snobby restaurant had blown up into some huge fight and now here she was standing in the pouring rain at 2 am._

"_What the hell are you doing, woman? You're going to get yourself sick." Zoro yelled from behind her._

"_Like you care." She snapped mulishly._

"_Of course I care."_

"_Right, I'm nothing more than a living sex doll to you."_

"_You're crazy, woman."_

_They were facing off on the street now, sparks practically flying with all the anger and sexual tension. Nami was about to argue that wanting a nice dinner now and then didn't make her crazy when Zoro reached out and pulled her against him his mouth crashing down on hers. Nami resisted for all of two seconds before fisting her hands in his wet shirt and kissing him back with all of her rage and passion. When they pulled apart to breathe she rested her forehead against his chest and felt more than heard Zoro's soft chuckle._

"_All this because I'd rather be alone with you than share you with the world."_

_Nami looked up at the man she undoubtedly loved and this time when their lips met it was soft and sweet._

**He can't see the smile I'm faking  
And my heart's not breaking  
'Cause I'm not feeling anything at all**

**And you were wild and crazy  
Just so frustrating intoxicating  
Complicated, got away by some mistake and now**

When Nami returned to the ballroom she spotted Sanji talking with Vivi and the bridesmaids. The blonde was a natural flirt and she watched as Vivi's cousin returned it a bit too freely. She searched for any feelings of jealousy or unease but it just wasn't there. She noted it all as if a casual observer with no attachment to the situation. Plastering on a smile she made her way over and if she was a bit stiff under his touch Sanji didn't seem to notice. She congratulated Vivi sincerely and made plans with the blushing bride to meet up once she returned from her honeymoon. They moved along giving others the chance to talk with Vivi. She was walking away when she heard a familiar voice.

"Congratulations, Vivi."

"Thank you, Zoro. And thanks for coming it means a lot."

"Of course. If this punk ever treats you bad just let me know."

Nami smiled to herself as Vivi giggled because for all of his hot-headed tendencies Zoro was fiercely loyal and protective of those he loved. She found herself wondering how she had ever let herself fall out of that category because Nami knew now that it had been a mistake.

"Sanji, can we talk?"

"Of course, Nami-swan. What is it?"

"I'm really sorry to do this here and now but it's not fair to you to keep on pretending."

"Pretending?"

"I can't be with you, Sanji. You're a great guy but not what I need."

If Sanji was a bit upset it was understandable but a wedding wasn't the worst place to be when on the rebound and Nami was confident he wouldn't be lonely for long. She searched for Zoro but he was nowhere to be seen and she figured after seeing Vivi he had left. Slipping off her heels she forgot about being ladylike and dignified and ran outside. She could see Zoro ahead his jacket in hand and she called out his name. Thankfully he stopped and turned around while he didn't move towards her he didn't walk away either. When she reached him she stopped taking a lungful of air before speaking. She hadn't really planned ahead and instead of some heartfelt speech or declaration of love she just blurted out that she had ended things with Sanji.

"Why?" Zoro asked his expression as guarded as always.

But Nami smiled because the answer was easy.

**I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain  
And it's 2 am and I'm cursing your name  
I'm so in love that I acted insane  
And that's the way I loved you**

**Breakin' down and coming undone  
It's a roller coaster kinda rush  
And I never knew I could feel that much  
And that's the way I loved you**

**And that's the way I loved you  
Never knew I could feel that much  
And that's the way I loved you**


	45. First Impressions

Title: First Impressions  
Theme: 001 – Introduction  
Words: 115  
Summary: Zoro thinks about when he first met Nami

Note: sorry its been so long I am trying to get back to this now.

He remembers when they first met. She had been so irritating and devious and he couldn't help but want her anyways. Of course she had been convinced that he was nothing more than pirate scum despite the fact that up until a few weeks before he had been hunting down the very pirate scum she hated so much. He didn't know it at the time but she had hated him so much because in truth she couldn't stop thinking about him which messed with all of her plans. They still liked to tease each other about that first meeting but Zoro knew it didn't matter because they had met and that was the important part.


	46. The Lady and the Hunter

Title: The Lady and the Hunter  
Theme: 50 – Breaking the Rules  
Rating: T  
Words: 2,432  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami is in the business of sex, something that's pretty straight forward until her latest client that is.

Note: In this context Johns refers to a call girl's clients.

Note 2: I'm back with something a bit longer this time. I had it all typed out and lost it so I had to redo it and as always when that happens I feel as if it was better before... but I hope you enjoy it

* * *

When Nami got into the business she came up some personal rules. All the girls had them but while most were just a list of things the girls wouldn't do no matter the price for Nami they were different. Nami's rules were to keep her heart safe, to avoid expectations beyond the basic act and to stop any attachments from forming. Her first rule was no sleeping. Sex was sex but sleeping in the same bed was intimate and she was in the business of sex not intimacy. She had several other rules that avoided intimacy such as no last names, no contact outside the hook up beyond setting it up and no kissing above the neck. Nami also wouldn't see a John more than once a week and never more than a few months. Most of the girls liked their regulars but not Nami because even if they were still paying regulars were dangerously close to relationships something she most certainly did not want to have. Nami had never had a problem getting new clients and so sticking to her rules had always been easy. Until now.

It had started off normal enough when the John had approached her, he had eyes her up while she did the same before he pulled out some bills and handed them over. She notes they were the exact right amount for one hour of her time and she wondered vaguely if he had been referred. Nami accepted the money and with it the request for her services.

"Follow me." Nami spoke putting on a sultry voice that most of her Johns found appealing.

It was the first words spoken between them and he simply raised an eyebrow and followed. Nami led him around the corner to a small cottage she kept for business purposes, withdrawing a key she let them in ushering him through to the bedroom. This was another one of her rules; all encounters happened at the cottage and she almost never offered them anything to drink. They came for sex and only sex.

"Just make yourself comfortable on the bed, I'll be right there."

The John still didn't speak just moved further into the room stripping off his white t-shirt as he went. Nami stepped into the bathroom keeping the door open just enough to see the bed in the mirror. When it came to her clients Nami had never been particularly picky about their looks; if they were clean and could pay she'd take their money. She wasn't attracted to most of the men she bedded but she was quite the actress and each and every one had walked away thinking that they had rocked her world. But there was something different about this particular John. With his tanned skin and unusual shade of hair - a shocking green - he already had her interest but as she watched him strip out of his simple clothing she could see the strength in his limbs and she admitted that she was at least a little attracted this time around.

"Get it together, Nami. Just go in there, show him a good time and kick him out." She told herself in a fierce whisper.

Nami splashed some water on her face to help clear her head before straightening up and doing just that.

The problem came the next morning when safely in her own apartment her thoughts returned to the green-haired man who had shared her bed for an hour the night before. Nami had never learnt his name which wasn't entirely uncommon but she found herself wondering who he was. He had been attractive exuding a raw masculinity that was sexy especially when it became apparent that he was no novice in the bedroom. Her job wasn't always pleasurable for her but this time around she hadn't needed to fake anything, perhaps some minor exaggerations but that was it. As she stepped into the shower Nami told herself he was only on her mind still because it had been awhile since she had experienced an orgasm at the hands of someone else. She was determined that she put the green haired hottie out of her mind and she even succeeded, for a little while at least.

The following morning Nami rolled out of bed with a groan and padded over to the bathroom to draw a hot bath. Her John from the night before had been a little too eager and a little too inexperienced and the combination had left her with some lingering soreness. Grimacing at the memory she added some soothing salts and oils to the bath water before lowering herself into the welcoming heat. Nami soaked for almost an hour until the water started to cool and her aches eased. She decided that after last night's encounter she was entitled to some serious retail therapy and she quickly pulled on a skirt and t-shirt before going over to the mikan bush she had on her porch. After looking around to make sure no one was in sight she dug up the front right corner of the pot and pulled out a small moleskin packet. Brushing off the dirt and soil she went inside and untied the packet to reveal her stash of beli. She pulled out a few hundred beli before tying it up and returning it to its hiding place carefully smoothing the soil back down. Nami worked hard for every last beli and she wasn't about to trust some bank with her precious money. It took only a few more minutes for her to finish getting ready and soon she was leaving the apartment looking forward to some pampering.

Two hours, four store and half a dozen shopping bags later Nami was ready to take a break for some lunch. She was just leaving the shopping district when she saw him; the green haired John from the other night. He was standing in the middle of the street scratching his short green hair and looking around. It wasn't the first time Nami had seen a John on the street and normally she just walked on by but something about this man drew her to him and she found herself heading over. He was obviously lost and it would be kind of her to offer directions as a citizen of the town and all.

"Looking for something?" Nami mentally cursed herself at the flirtatious tone that had passed her lips.

The man didn't miss it either and his eyes caressed her body with recognition before smirking.

"Just a pub or tavern."

"Its a few minutes back this way." Nami responded pointing behind him.

"Thanks." He replied before turning and walking away.

He took four or five steps before stopping and turning back around to face her.

"Want to join me for a drink?"

Nami's first instinct was to say no because she definitely didn't mingle with her John's outside of their business transactions but she had been on her way to lunch and the man seemed so unassuming that she found herself saying yes.

That was her first mistake.

He didn't talk much but she found that when he did speak he had her full attention. She learned he was a bounty hunter, a nomad traveling around looking for a fight and a score. That more than she had ever cared to know about a John before and yet she wanted to know more. She wanted to know why he chose this nomadic and dangerous lifestyle. Nami was about to ask when she realized what she was doing and instead up abruptly.

"I've got to go."

"Wait, can I see you tonight? Another hour?"

Nami knew she should say no it had been a day not a week and that was strictly against the rules but his hand was warm on her arm and her orgasm still fresh in her mind.

"The cottage at nine, don't be late."

The man just nodded and removed his hand from her arm. Nami gathered up her bags and fled the pub but not before she heard one last comment.

"It's Roronoa Zoro by the way."

"Roronoa Zoro." Nami murmured the name to herself.

It was five to nine and she was at the cottage waiting for the man to arrive. She was filled with a strange sense of dread and anticipation that was vaguely reminiscent of her first transaction. There was no doubt that she'd enjoy her time with Zoro and she'd get her money but so many of her rules had already been broken with this man. If she were smart when he showed up she would politely explain that agreeing to tonight had been a mistake and ask him to leave. She wouldn't get the money or the pleasure but perhaps she'd be able to save her heart. She spent the next five minutes convincing herself that sending Zoro away would be the right choice when the clock in the front room struck nine. As the seconds ticked away she was struck with the realization that she might not have to send him away after all. She had assumed he would show but maybe had had changed his mind. She was surprised to find that it bother her; Nami had always been very take it or leave when it came to her work. If the John decided to leave it she'd rue the missed money but that was all. She tried telling herself that was all it was but the clock ticked closer to quarter after and she still sat at the cottage in case Zoro showed up. She was considering getting into the sake she kept on hand for the more nervous Johns when there was a sharp rap on the door. Schooling her features into one of annoyance she strode to the front door. She opened it up to find Zoro looking ticked off and slightly sheepish.

"I said nine." Nami spoke coldly even as her heart pounded unnaturally loud.

"It's not my fault the damn place is so hard to get to." Zoro grumbled with a scowl.

"You got lost?" Nami asked incredulous because it was actually fairly simple to get there.

"No!" Zoro quickly denied.

"Well get in, but that time is coming out of your hour."

Zoro scowled at her some more but stepped into the cottage and handing over the required fee when she held out her hand. He mumbled something about her being a witch under his breath which she chose to ignore instead leading him back to the bedroom.

Nami had on a silk robe and nothing else and when she reached the foot of the bed she turned around and undid the sash letting the cool fabric gape open. Zoro paused to stare at her for a moment his t-shirt in his hands.

"You're beautiful."

It wasn't the first time that he had been told that but there was something about the way Zoro said that was different. He was so sincere but at the same time not cowed over by it. She smiled at him and shrugged out of the robe letting it pool at her feet. The action spurred Zoro back into movement and he quickly shed the remainder of his clothes before moving to her. His hands immediately sought out skin trailing down her sides as he pressed her down on the bed. Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time as he caressed her body with mouth and hands bringing her close to climax only to stop and draw her back. In the back of her mind she felt a tad guilty because their encounter seemed to be more about her pleasure than his but she couldn't think clearly enough to stop him plus if the size of his erecti0on was any indication he was deriving pleasure from pleasuring her.

"Zoro, please. Stop teasing." She pleaded as he drew her back from the edge again.

Zoro moved up her body with a smirk before reaching over to where a condom was laid out on the bedside table. He quickly sheathed himself and positioned himself at her entrance rubbing against her teasingly for a moment before plunging in. Nami gasped at the sudden intrusion the small burn almost immediately giving way to pleasure. It was even better than the first time and she almost stopped breathing as they let the lust taken them over and they began to move by instinct and not design. It was animalistic and intense and when Zoro's mouth was hovering over hers his eyes boring into her soul she didn't think. She just raised her head that fraction until they were kissing. It was as primal as the sex tongues tangling, teeth scraping in a perfect expression of their desire. When Nami finally came it was a blinding flash of pleasure that left her bone tired and completely satisfied. They collapsed back onto the bed and just lay there as the clock chimed the hour. Nami knew she should kick Zoro out; his hour was up but she chose to ignore that in favour of staying exactly where she was.

"Damn, is it always like this?" Zoro asked his voice rough.

"Never." Nami answered honestly.

Zoro chuckled softly before yawning.

"I guess I should go." He said quietly with resignation lining his voice.

This was the point where Nami should agree, where she should have him leave and never see him again but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"You could stay the night." She offered softly.

"I don't have the money for that."

"I don't want your money." Nami said.

She was struck by just how true the sentiment was. Nami didn't want Zoro to be just another John. She got out of the bed crossing over to the small chest on her dresser and unlocking it. She took the money he had given her out and crossed back to the bed, taking a shaky breath she handed him the wad of bills.

"Stay, please."

Zoro stared at her for a long time before taking the money and placing it on the table, and then he took her hand and pulled her down onto the bed his mouth finding hers in a sweet kiss that was about so much more than lust. As Nami slipped back under the covers she knew that things wouldn't be simple not given her current profession and his nomadic tendencies but that didn't matter. Drifting to sleep in Zoro's arms she decided that sometimes breaking the rules was worth it.


	47. Blessings in Disguise

Title: Blessings in Disguise  
Theme: 60 - Rejection  
Rating: T  
Words: 5,900  
Disclaimer: Fiction as in made up.  
Summary: Nami's life is turned upside down when she gets the letter but ultimately it puts her on the path to something even greater.

AN: A bit of a longer one here for you. Enjoy.

_Prologue_

It was an unremarkable day in June approaching the end of the school year and the freedom that summer brought. Roronoa Zoro sat in his senior lit class his mind on his after-school training and not the breakdown of the final paper that due in a few short weeks. It was rather typical of the green-haired teen to not be paying attention but little did he know that as he daydreamed of a way to use three katana at once his life had been set on a path that would forever alter him.

_Chapter 1_

Across town behind the iron gates of Grand Line Preparatory School one of the schools most promising students sat in her senior math class dutifully copying down the assigned problems meant to prepare them for the final exam. A small square of paper was pushed onto her desk and Nami discreetly picked it up unfolding it behind her textbook.

'I bet the letter is in the mailbox right now.'

Nami smiled at the note writing in 'I hope so' below the message and slipping it back to Nefertari Vivi her class mate and best friend at GL Prep. The letter to which she referred was a university acceptance letter and Nami's stomach twisted slightly at the thought of her acceptance into the area's most prestigious university. It was the best university by far and Nami had spent the last four years devoted to the books to maintain an impressive GPA that would land her at the university. Vivi had already gotten acceptances to several business schools and was currently debating between two of them. For her part there was no decision, Nami had already made her choice and it was going to be nothing but the best for her, if only they'd hurry up and send her acceptance.

Eventually the bell rang and Nami made her way home stopping at the post office on the way as was her custom.

"Hello, Nami-chan." The mail clerk greeted her with a familiar smile as she walked in.

"Hello Meirou-san. Do you have anything for me today?"

"Yes I do in fact. Just give me a moment to grab them."

Nami's heart was pounding in her chest as she took the small stack of envelopes immediately recognizing the university insignia on one of them. She held the letter tight as she drove the last five minutes home not letting it go as she parked and let herself into the house. She was barely breathing when she closed her bedroom door envelope clutched in her shaking hands. This was the moment of truth, the letter she had been waiting for. One deep breath and she ripped it open and unfolded the letter.

'Dear Nami,

We would like to thank you for your interest in One Piece University. Unfortunately while you have an impressive GPA we are looking for students with a more rounded experience here at One Piece. We suggest you look into some extracurricular work to round out your application.

All the best.'

Nami stared at the letter in shock not believing what she was seeing. She had been so confident in her application she had never truly considered the possibility of rejection. Nami wasn't sure how long she sat there but eventually the realization hit that she didn't get in to university and the tears came. That's where Vivi found her that evening curled up in bed with tears streaming down her face the rejection letter still clutched in her hands. Vivi took the letter and read it over before putting it on the dresser and hugging Nami.

"It's not a helpless situation. They liked your grades so we just need to work on the rest."

"What's it matter Viv? They rejected me it's too late." Nami cried giving it to the self-pity she was feeling.

"It's too late for a fall start but if you get some extracurricular stuff in you could always apply again for the winter term."

Nami wasn't convinced and Vivi ended up leaving imploring her to think about it nut right now all the orange haired teen wanted to do was wallow and sleep.

Back across town Zoro was dozing on the couch when an envelope hit him on the chest and he begrudgingly cracked his eyes open. His foster mom was standing on her hips shooting a familiar look of disappointment.

"What?" he snapped irritated.

"This letter arrived from your school today. It concerns your graduation."

"I'm not going to some dumb ceremony." Zoro replied closing his eyes again.

"You're right. You're not going to a ceremony because you aren't invited. Graduation is only for those seniors who will be graduating which apparently you are not one of."

"Huh?"

"It appears that even if you were to ace your final exam in maths you wouldn't scrape together a pass and your participation in Life Studies is so low due to multiple misses that it would take a miracle to get a passing grade there as well."

Zoro was surprised, he knew he had been skirting dangerously close to failing grades in some classes but he hadn't thought he was truly in danger of failing his senior year.

"First thing tomorrow we are going to see your guidance counselor. I will not have you fail out of high school."

Zoro nodded meekly and fell back into an uneasy sleep. He'd be a legal adult this summer and no longer eligible for foster care. Without a high school education there wouldn't be a lot he could do, he was too proud to expect his current foster mom to support him without help from the government and his future suddenly looked quite bleak. He was going to end up on the streets just like his father had always predicted.

Nami strode through the main doors of GL Prep the following morning with a renewed sense of purpose. If Vivi was surprised by the complete turnaround she didn't say anything as they walked to the guidance office together. Nami made an appointment for that morning and by the time she went home that afternoon she had a game plan that would see her walking the hallowed halls of OPU come winter.

_Chapter 2_

ONE MONTH LATER

"Roronoa Zoro, get your ass out of bed."

Zoro grunted and rolled over in his bed, it was the summer and he just wanted to sleep a bit longer. His foster mother had other plans and a splash of water hit him in the face effectively getting him up.

"What the hell!?" he growled water dripping from his face.

"Summer program starts today and you will not be late." She informed him unfazed but his anger.

Zoro just scowled but walked to the bathroom to begin getting ready. With some extra assignments and a lot of studying at the end of the term Zoro had managed to pull off a pass in everything but Math. As a result he was now taking a make up course in Summer School along with a booster course to improve his English marks. He knew if it weren't for his foster mom none of this would've happened so he owed it to her to go to the program and actually pay attention. Half an hour later he was outside the high school ready to go in. He lifted a hand in farewell to his foster brothers Johnny and Yosaku who had made the walk with him.

"Later, Aniki." Johnny called out with a grin before jumping on Yosaku's back.

Zoro rolled his eyes at their familiar antics before pushing through the front doors and heading to the office to sign in. He had Maths in the morning everyday and English in the afternoon every other day. The secretary gave him his student card, schedule and sent him to the classroom senior mathematics was being held in. The class room had five other people in it including an older man Zoro took to be the teacher. He took a seat in the back and slumped down in his chair waiting for class to begin.

When she walked in he knew at once that she wasn't a student from the high school. She walked in with an easy confidence and quiet dignity despite the short school girl skirt that she must have shortened. She paused a few steps in seeming to take in the room and Zoro took the opportunity to look her over. Her hair was just past her shoulders and bright orange falling loosely around a cute face with large brown eyes. She wore a low cut blouse that let everyone know she had definitely hit maturity and wasn't against using it to her advantage. She was nicely rounded and the gentle flare of her hips tapered to long, lean legs bare to the room with strappy sandals of some sort completing the look. She was a definitely a looker and Zoro felt a familiar stirring low in gut letting him know he was still a teenage boy and causing him to sink even lower in his chair.

"Aah, Nami-san. Welcome, I have the items you'll need here. If you will just take a seat we're beginning shortly." The teacher spoke warmly.

Zoro watched from the corner of his eye as the girl – Nami – took a packet and proceeded to take a seat at one of the desks in the front row. She took out a booklet from the packet and flipped through it before pulling out a few more sheets of paper. Zoro couldn't see what any of it was but she clearly was not the average student. A few more kids wandered in then bringing their total to ten students plus Nami and the teacher.

"Well good morning everyone and welcome to Summer Senior Mathematics. My name is Hendo-san and I will be teaching this course, if you are not supposed to be here I suggest heading down to the office now."

The teacher paused for a moment but no one moved so he continued on.

"Helping me with this course is Nami-san. She will be available for help throughout the class and you can go to her as well as me with any problems. Ami-san recently graduated with top marks from Grand Line Prep and we are lucky to have her here with us."

So she was a prep school girl, Zoro thought. His experience with that lot was disgusted looks if they looked at him at all that was. They were trust fund babies with daddy's car and credit cards at their disposal. Hendo went on to give a description of their syllabus and hand out textbooks they'd be using and Zoro tried to push thoughts of Nami and her figure out of his mind.

"I know it's the first day but we are going to start with a small quiz, nothing big just something so I can see if there are areas that will need more focus or not. You have twenty minutes just do what you can and put it face down on the corner of your desk when you're done."

Nami then went around distributing the quizzes and when she got o Zoro she smiled sweetly as she handed him the sheet of paper.

"I like your hair."

The smile caught him off guard and when she walked away Zoro couldn't figure out whether she had been sincere or not.

_Chapter 3_

As the first senior math class of the summer came to an end Nami gathered up the material Hendo-san had given her. She turned around to find the green-haired student; Roronoa Zoro but found that he had already left the classroom. Shaking her head she went over to the teacher to discuss the next class and put Zoro out of her mind. She wasn't sure what it was about the boy that had her intrigued. She definitely didn't know why she had tried flirting with him. Tried being key because it been a full on disaster as the teen had simply stared at her. Nami didn't know what had gotten into her because while she was no stranger to using her sexuality to her advantage she didn't exactly go around hitting on random guys and you didn't get much more random than this. She would just have to forget about Roronoa Zoro, he was simply another student in one of the classes she was helping with. With the green haired teen out of sight and a chapter to review by tomorrow it seemed easy enough and Nami was confident that her attraction and disastrous flirting had been nothing more than a fluke.

Her plan lasted until about five seconds after he walked into the classroom the next day. When Zoro walked in she looked up and watched as he paused his eyes scanning the room with a calculated sharpness before moving to the same seat in the back corner. Nami recognised the look and she remembered a time she had sized everything and everyone up always aware of the exit in case she needed to get away suddenly. And just like that she became certain of three things; Zoro sat in the back corner not to avoid participation but to keep everyone in his sights, Zoro was a fighter brought on by circumstance and finally she had met the green-haired teen before.

Zoro could feel Nami's eyes on him once he entered the classroom, they followed him all the way to the back where he sat down. He tried to ignore it as Hendo-san arrived and began the class but her eyes returned to him so frequently that it was almost impossible. Once when he felt her eyes on him he looked up and met her gaze, she held it for all of three seconds before looking down a pretty pink staining her cheeks. She was clearly attracted to him and was probably looking to use him as a pawn in a game of power with absentee parents. It wouldn't be the first time he'd seen it happen but he wasn't going to be anyone's pawn not even if Nami's body had an immediate reaction on him. It wasn't until the second half of the class when they were working on an assignment that Nami approached him.

"How are you finding the problems, Zoro?"

She seemed genuinely interested in helping him Zoro had to fight the natural instinct to decline any and all help. He had gotten the problems started fine but they weren't working out right and he had a feeling he was forgetting a step in the solution somewhere. He didn't want to admit defeat least of all to Nami but he thought of everything his foster mother had done to get him here, to keep him off the streets and knew he had no choice but to ask for help.

"I'm missing a step I just can't remember what or where." He admitted quietly.

Nami pulled a chair over and sat down beside him turning his notebook so that she could see what he had done so far. For a moment she just looked between his notebook and the assigned problem punching some numbers into his calculator. There was something about her that drew his attention and while she studied the problem he studied her. She wore her hair in a ponytail of some sort today with a bright green clip holding it in place but throughout the day some pieces had fallen out and for some strange, unknown reason he felt the urge to tuck the fallen hair behind her ear. He wondered if it would be as soft as it looked. It certainly smelled nice; something mellow and citrusy that soothed him.

"Aah, here it is." Nami said suddenly bringing his attention back to the math problem.

"You actually didn't forget anything you just got the order mixed up."

"Oh." Zoro sad feeling kind of dumb.

Nami just smiled and showed him where he had gotten mixed up even teaching him a little trick to remember it in the future. She then had him try the next problem to make sure he understood and though he was conscious of Nami watching him he was able to go through and solve the problem which Nami verified in her answer manual.

"Good job, Zoro. Keep that trick in mind and you'll be fine." Nami said with a smile.

"Thanks."

"Zoro, can I ask you a question?"

She seemed nervous and Zoro only nodded wondering f this is when she'd ask him out.

"Did you go, I mean were you at Going Merry Orphanage when you were a kid?"

The question was completely different from what Zoro was expecting that he only stared at her as slowly pieces began to gall together.

"Oh shit. I'm sorry. I don't mean to assume anything, hell, you probably aren't even an orphan it's just you're so familiar and I thought..."

"Nami the Navigator? You're _that_ Nami?"

"It is you, isn't it?" Nami said suddenly throwing her arms around his neck.

"Aah Nami-san. We are not supposed to touch the students." Hendo-san said uncomfortably

"Oh, sorry Hendo-san. It won't happen again." Nami answered quickly letting go of Zoro.

Zoro smiled slightly as she quickly went off see if another student needed help. He tried to focus back on the math problems but his mind kept drifting back several years to the Going Merry Orphanage and the friends he had made. They had been a motley crew that had stuck together always talking about some magical future that was waiting for them. Monkey D. Luffy had been the youngest of the group but with his youthful energy and charismatic personality he had become their unofficial leader. Even though it was years ago Zoro could still remember the day he met Luffy.

Through some scrape of ruckus Zoro had gotten himself in trouble and was forced to stand in the corner while the others had snack time and played. Zoro had been standing there sullenly when suddenly a smiling face in a straw hat was blocking his vision. Nobody was supposed to talk to Zoro while he was being punished but Luffy had stood with him chattering away about becoming a pirate. They young boy had decided they were to be best friends as if it were that simple and in the end it had been. Along the way Luffy accumulated more outcasts bringing them into his pirate crew and they had all dreamed that maybe one day they'd have grand adventures perhaps even a family.

Zoro remembered the young "navigator" of their pirate crew; an orange-haired girl who was always stealing the other kids' toys but never got caught in part because of her charming smile and big innocent brown eyes. Somewhere along the way the friends had gotten split up, different homes and schools until they lost touch. It looked like Nami had done well for herself since those days at Going Merry and Zoro wondered what those years had been like. Lady Luck had never been a fan of Roronoa Zoro and he had bounced between foster homes for years each time the family claiming he was simply too much hassle or they didn't trust him around their own kids or, or, or. There were millions of reasons that all led to Zoro being send back until his current situation that was.

Zoro had gotten into a fight with Johnny and Yosaku after school and both their foster mothers had been summoned. Zoro's had yelled and cried until she declared she simply couldn't do it anymore. Johnny and Yosaku's mom had simply smiled sweetly and told her to go home because Zoro was coming with her. He had been with them for the past four years now, the longest he'd been at any home all his life.

_Chapter 4_

Once again by the time Nami had gathered her things at the end of class Zoro was gone and she mentally cursed herself for not asking him to wait for her. She tossed her things into her bag and with a wave to Hendo-san she walked out of the classroom. She was busy looking for her keys and failed to notice Zoro leaning up against the wall beside the door.

"Oi!"

"Zoro!"

Zoro pushed himself off the wall and fell into step beside her.

"Do you have another class?"

"Not today."

"Would you like to come over for some lunch? I'd love to catch up."

Nami could sense his hesitation and she wondered it if was the past he was hesitant of or their current situations.

"My place isn't far, it's one of the small cottages near the edge of town."

"Yeah, I guess I could."

"You said you don't have another class today, what else are you taking?" Nami asked as they approached her car; a second-hand Fiat her sister got her last year.

"The English Booster course. It's only Monday, Wednesday and Fridays though."

"More sleeping in class?" she teased referring to the fact he admitted he had slept through most of Math in high school.

"No I was often awake but it's hard to write a paper on a book you didn't read fully."

"Yes, I would assume so."

The drive to the cottage was relatively silent and Nami noticed that Zoro didn't feel the need to fill it with nonsensical talk like so many other boys she knew. It was a nice change of pace and Nami found herself hoping they'd have more chances to spend time together outside of the Math class. Nami's cottage wasn't at all what Zoro had been expecting for starters it was actually a cottage and not some three storied monstrosity the rich and powerful often claimed as 'cottages'. It was a simple building with a small garden out front and Zoro could make out the edge of what appeared to be a mikan grove behind the cottage.

"This is it; it isn't anything big but it's enough for Nojiko and I and the mikans bring in a little extra so that I could afford to go to Grand Line."

"Is Nojiko the one who adopted you?" Zoro asked.

"What? No, I was never adopted. Nojiko's my sister. When she turned 18 she came and got me. Bellemere always said family should stick together and since Nojiko had the cottage and an income they had no choice but to let me go with her even if they tried telling me I'd have a better chance with, I believe the word they used was proper, a proper family. As if some strangers were supposed to be better than my own sister."

"You're lucky to have her." Zoro said softly.

He didn't remember his own mother, just a drunkard father who hadn't wanted the hassle of a child to raise. If there had been any siblings they had certainly never come for him. He pushed aside the anger and bitterness thoughts of his father provoked in him and followed Nami into the cottage.

"I hope sandwiches are alright, I'm not much of a cook."

"That's fine, it is what I'd be eating back home anyway."

"So what's home these days?"

So as Nami made them some sandwiches Zoro told her in brief about how he had come to be with his current foster mom, regaling her with the antics of Johnny and Yosaku until she was laughing freely. In turn Nami told him about her rejection to One Piece University and how that had led to her volunteering with the Summer Program to flush out her application. They kept talking after the sandwiches were gone and Zoro was surprised when he looked out the window to see that the sky had begun to darken.

"I better get back, I have homework to do." He said reluctant to leave now that he was actually here.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to be responsible for you not doing your work. Do you have time for lunch before English tomorrow?"

"I was just planning on bringing something and staying at the school, you can join me if you insist." Zoro answered teasingly.

"Alright see you tomorrow."

Zoro left with a smirk his mind already thinking to lunch and spending more time with Nami, even if she was making him walk all the way back into town where he lived.

When Zoro had been informed he was going to have to take the Summer Program he had dreaded devoting a month of his summer to math and had known it was going to drag by. Waking up one Saturday morning he was surprised to realize the program was already half over, since it was the weekend Zoro rolled over taking advantage of no classes to stay in bed a little longer. His early morning peace didn't last long however and soon there was some incessant banging on his bedroom door. Groaning he flipped back around on to his back.

"What?" he growled.

The door swung open to reveal Johnny and Yosaku standing there arms over each other's shoulders and wearing large grins.

"Aniki!" they shouted in unison.

"Oi, what do you bakas want?"

"Will you come to the dojo with us?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah, we've got this awesome new move, aniki." Yosaku added.

"When do you want to go?" Zoro asked pushing himself up.

"This morning why do you have a date with your girlfriend?" Johnny teased.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"You have lunch with her all the time, you argue a lot and yet you're always hanging out with her. That makes her your girlfriend."

Zoro rolled his eyes at Johnny's twisted logic before retorting with a wicked smirk.

"By that logic you and Yosaku have been going out for several years now."

Zoro laughed as he pushed past his sputtering foster brothers to get to the shower. Over the sound of the running water he could hear them arguing that it didn't count because they were friends and he resisted the urge to shout that he could be friends with a girl too. Even if he dreamed about this particular girl quite frequently and thought of kissing her a dozen times a day which was slightly startling because he had never thought of the opposite sex that much before not even when the daughter of one of his first foster families had shown him the basics of teenage desire.

He found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss Nami. He bet she tasted like the mikans she was always eating and he could almost guarantee that she wouldn't just stand there and melt into him. There was no doubt that Nami would put up a fight, trying to wrestle control away from him. He let out a soft moan at the thought and wasn't surprised to find that he had grown quite hard. The orange-haired teen often had that effect on him whether in person or just in his own imagination. Zoro squirted a bit of shower gel into his hand and wrapped it around his stiff cock, it didn't take much and soon he was watching his cum wash down the drain the shower erasing all signs of his pleasure.

Later that afternoon his phone beeped with an incoming text and he flipped it open to see a new message from Nami.

'My car won't start. Come walk me home.'

There was no hello or please just a demand and it was just so like Nami that Zoro found himself heading for the door with a small smile. He was outside before he realized he didn't know where the other teen was.

'Maybe. Where are you?'

'Vivi's. The biggest house on Alabasta Lane.'

Zoro had a pretty good idea where that was and shoving his phone into his jeans pocket he made off in that direction Johnny's earlier comment about Nami tickling the back of his mind.

"Nami, I thought you left?" Vivi asked coming out the front door.

"Car won't start." Nami said by way of explanation.

"So you thought you'd just sit on the step until it magically starts?"

Nami laughed as her best friend took a seat beside her on the large front step.

"No, I'm planning on walking home. Nojiko's got a friend who can fix this later and he'll swing by."

"I can have someone drive you home so you don't have to walk, Nami."

"It's ok I don't mind walking besides Zoro's coming to keep me company."

"Oh, Zoro's coming is he? Now I know why you're walking. There's nothing like a thirty minute walk with a hottie." Vivi teased.

"It's not like that, Viv. We're just friends. We were at Going Merry together."

"I know, I know. You had your little pirate crew but that doesn't mean you don't have the hots for him now."

"I don't know what you're talking about. There is nothing going on between Zoro and me."

"Not yet but I know you and you what there to be. Ask me how I know."

"How do you _think _you know because you're wrong."

"Besides the fact that you're arguing over this way too much and the fact that you smile when you say his name there is the simple fact that you were definitely not wearing any makeup when you went to leave ten minutes ago."

"Oops." Nami admitted her face heating up.

When Zoro had asked where she was she knew that had meant he was coming and she had brushed on a bit of makeup wanting to look nice.

"You've been spending a lot of time together so I'd say he likes you even if he hasn't made a move yet."

"You think so?"

"Nami, we're best friends but I wouldn't walk out here to then walk half an hour home with you. I love you like a sister but I just wouldn't."

Nami laughed and hugged Vivi as fresh hope welled up within her. Maybe Zoro did like her after all. They did see each other almost every day not counting the time in class and even when they argued it never kept him from hanging out with her still. Just then she saw a familiar silhouette in the distance and when a small glint of sunshine hit the gold earrings dangling from his left ear she felt a smile pulling at her lips.

"That's him." She told Vivi standing up.

"Alright, have fun. Don't be afraid to make the first move and call me to tell me all about it."

"Thanks, Viv."

Nami hugged her best friend before making sure she had everything she needed out of the car and walking down the drive.

"Hey." She greeted Zoro with a smile.

"Don't you think your friend could've given you a ride. Hell, it looks like they could spare to lean you a car." Zoro grumbled.

"Well I wanted to walk. No one forced you to come."

"Sure."

Zoro grumbled a bit more but there was a softness in his eyes so Nami didn't worry about it as they walked along the streets back towards her cottage. They were walking in a comfortable silence about half way there when suddenly Zoro stopped and blurted out what must have been bothering him for awhile.

"Are we dating?"

Zoro hadn't meant to ask Nami so bluntly but Johnny's words had been bugging him and while he wasn't opposed to going out with Nami, (not at all) he wanted to be aware of it. Nami had stopped walking as well and was currently looking at him in complete confusion which answered the question clearly and Zoro felt something akin to embarrassment creep over him and he tried to explain the outburst all the while making it worse.

"Johnny called you my girlfriend this morning and I said you weren't but he said spending time together makes you my girlfriend and I didn't know if you thought it did..."

"That's ridiculous." Nami said with a nervous laugh.

"Right, of course. You wouldn't want that..." Zoro trailed off feeling incredibly stupid and cursing himself for ever listening to Johnny and Yosaku.

"Zoro, do you want to go out with me?" Nami asked quietly.

"You can drop it, Nami. I know you think it's crazy."

"I think Johnny's reasoning is crazy, not the idea of us dating."

"I know, I told him that but, wait. Really?"

Nami nodded a small blush staining her cheeks and Zoro couldn't help thinking how incredibly beautiful she looked. Not stopping to think because that's when he usually got into trouble he simple ducked his head capturing Nami's lips in a soft kiss his hands finding their place on her hips. They pulled back and Zoro was pleased to see a happy if slightly dazed look on Nami's face.

"Nami, will you go out with me?"

"Yes."

"I'll probably be a shit boyfriend. I forget things so I won't remember your birthday or anniversaries or that shit. And I don't know what I'm doing after graduation so I can't promise you a lot..."

"Zoro. Shut up and kiss me again." Nami interrupted him.

"That I can do." Zoro answered with a smirk before doing just that.

_Epilogue_

Zoro stuffed a change of clothes into his bag before grabbing his cell phone and heading out the door. In deference to the snow falling outside he had put on a jacket and he flicked the hood up with a scowl. The cold wasn't a bother to him as he had trained his body to be in fighting condition no matter the climate but he still much preferred the warmer weather of summer. Thankfully the walk to the dojo wasn't far and he soon was entering the warm, dry building and was comforted with the familiar scents of sweat and steel.

"Zoro-sensei! Can you show us Santoryuu today?"

Zoro turned to scowl at the fourteen year old boy who had run up to him. The kid had been asking him the same question ever since he had started teaching at the dojo in the fall. When Nami had suggested he look for a job at the dojo he had figured he'd end up working a janitor job but the owner had been watching Zoro come in over the years and had surprised him with an offer to teach a junior class. At first Zoro had been hesitant because he really didn't want to deal with a bunch of brats but the students in his class were generally respective and eager to learn and he found himself enjoying the lessons. Of course there was always a few that were eager to see the legendary Santoryuu fighting style he had finally mastered and he always ended up devoting a portion of one class to showing them his technique not that they were allowed to attempt it themselves. Santoryuu was strictly forbidden to his students.

"Yeah, Zoro. I want to see this Santoryuu."

Zoro spun around at the familiar voice and saw Nami leaning up against the wall in a yellow parka her cheeks rosy from the cold.

"I thought you had class?"

"It was a test and I finished early. So I thought I'd come see your class."

Zoro smiled at his girlfriend thinking not for the first time that almost failing high school had been the best thing to happen to him.


	48. To See You Smile

Title: To see you smile  
Theme: 14 – Smile  
Words: 582  
Summary: Zoro knew he would do whatever it took to see that sweet smile again

The first time it had happened it had been a fluke. He had been nervous and unsure and hundreds of other emotions he would never admit to feeling. There had been a particularly loud cry and it had shocked Zoro and the next thing he knew he had dropped the bottle and watched in abject horror as it felt to the ground spilling everywhere. She had stopped and looked up at him with some big trusting eyes and then smiled. Just like that he was a goner and he knew that he would do whatever it took to see that sweet smile again even if that included embarrassing himself on a daily basis.

Zoro had wiped up the spill and returned to the fridge to grab another bottle thankful that Nami had left more than one. Another couple of minutes and the formula was heated up and he had tested it to ensure the temperature was alright. His daughter watched in wonder her cries momentarily quieted as she followed his movements. This time he was more confident when he approached her and he slipped her out of her bassinette to feed her. This was the first time he was looking after her alone as Nami had gone into town with Robin for some much needed girl time which Zoro took to mean shopping and spas. Inora was only a few weeks old but the second he had laid eyes on her all red and screaming and still covered in miscellaneous fluids Zoro had known she was his purpose in life. She was beyond precious and as such he was just a little bit terrified of making a mess of things. She was tiny in his arms as she sucked greedily at her bottle and he was floored by the trust that shone in those big chocolate brown eyes that were so much like her mother's. Zoro vowed that her trust would be warranted so when a couple of hours later she began to cry again he rushed to her side.

The swordsman checked her diaper and gave her a toy but Inora continued to cry and he was beginning to panic. A small rarely heard part of his brain told him it was because he was inadequate as a father as he tried to make the crying stop. He recalled the amazed little smile when he had dropped the bottle and in an act of desperation he started to toss some stuffed animals across the room. Amazingly the juvenile act seemed to work and the cries dyed out as Inora watched transfixed as items flew around her.

This was how Nami found them when she came in feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and missing her daughter. She paused in the doorway to fully process the scene in front of her. Inora was in her bassinette eyes wide and bright watching her daddy with a gummy smile as Roronoa Zoro the demon hunter cooed nonsense in a ridiculous baby voice as he tossed things around. A small laugh escaped her and Zoro instantly whirled around his face flushing red at having been caught out in such a ridiculous manner. Nami walked into the room scooping Inora up and dropping kisses on her soft face.

"Was daddy being silly, pumpkin?" She cooed softly.

Zoro's face flushed darker but as he watched the two girls in his life smile at him he knew that he would always be willing to embarrass himself just to see them smile.


	49. Deserving

Theme: 02-LOVE  
Rating: T  
Words: 208  
Summary: Zoro used to think he didn't deserve to be loved

Deserving

There had been a time in Zoro's life when he had thought he had been undeserving of love. There were dark moments when he believed himself to be the demon the general public declared him to be and as something less than human he figured love would always be just out of his reach. Then a fifteen year old boy with the ability to stretch like rubber, and more impressively see into that person's soul, had forced his way into Zoro's life. Luffy had barrelled past Zoro's defences and given him hope. For the first time in his life he began to think there could be love in this world for even him. When Nami had betrayed them he didn't have Luffy's unfailing faith but he went after her anyway, then she jumped in the pool after him without hesitation and he had seen things so clearly. It hadn't been some miraculous declaration of love but the action showed him love was possible and in time it developed and strengthened until it was the solid, unwavering thing it had now become. When Nami looked at him from across the room her chocolate brown eyes sparkling Zoro couldn't believe he had ever thought he didn't deserve to be loved.


	50. Whatever It Takes

Theme: 55 – Waiting | Rating: T+ | Words: 3822

Summary: Nami wants to wait before taking things to the next level

Whatever It Takes or All You Can Do Is Wait

Nami woke up and immediately wished she was still safe in the oblivion of sleep. Her head felt stuffy in that special way a night of too much drinking caused so she closed her eyes again letting the memory of the night before seep into her consciousness. Just as she began to recall certain more adult feelings she heard a low groan from behind her. Memories still a tad fuzzy, Nami froze for a moment and prayed that she wouldn't find Sanji beside her. The blond was a sweet guy but she didn't like him in that manner and a drunk hookup would certainly be disastrous. When she cautiously turned and saw the distinctive green of Zoro's hair she could have kissed him in relief but given their current situation she figured they'd better sort things out instead just to be safe.

She took in Zoro's slightly dishevelled appearance as he began to wake up, the night before slowly returning to her. They had clearly been drinking and it had all started when Zoro had handed her a fresh drink. She had thanked the swordsman and being in a bit of a playful mood the man had recoiled with feigned shock which led to a rather heated discussion on how she didn't often say thank you especially to him. They had bickered easily throughout the night with no hard feelings but Zoro's words had stuck with her and she began thinking of all the times Zoro had saved her or just helped her out whether directly or not. There was no shortage of occasions but sticking out most prominently where when he had fought Hachi less than a week after that should have been fatal cut from Mihawk. Even as his wound split open he had fought with his everything to help free her. Then there was the fight in Alabasta where she had made him carry her because of a sprained ankle despite the steady flow of blood leaving his own body. He had complained of course but she knew that he had never truly hesitated in lifting her up. The more she thought about it the more she felt a combination of gratitude, affection and undeniable guilt. They drank steadily and in her lubricated state an idea of how to repay him entered her mind. The more she thought about it the more she liked the idea and the continued intake of liquor didn't exactly work to dissuade her. When she had approached Zoro with her offer he had quirked an eyebrow at her his dark eyes seeming to pierce the haze and making her realize how much she wanted it for herself. He had obviously accepted her offer and well here they were the next morning in this potentially awkward situation.

Zoro turned and looked at her and she felt her cheeks heat up at being caught out in her staring. The swordsman just grunted in typical male fashion before pushing himself up. She waited watching for him to say something but he just scratched his chest – it really was a sublime chest she couldn't help thinking – before climbing out of her bed completely nude. The flush of her cheeks darkened as arousal mixed in with embarrassment as she watched the swordsman collect his strewn clothing without a care for his lack of coverage. Once he was fully clothed again he returned to the bed his face calm and she unconsciously clutched the sheet to her chest.

"I wasn't drunk last night and I don't think you were all that gone either but if that's what you want we can pretend we were both drunk and leave it at that."

Then he bent down, pressed a rough kiss to her cheek and walked out of the room. Nami sat there stunned for a minute or two before the implications of what he said dawned on her. If he wasn't drunk that meant he had wanted to sleep with her and as he had pointed out she hadn't exactly been out of her mind drunk and the idea had come to her earlier in the night as it was. So despite the alcohol involved the previous night had been something they both wanted.

"That's ridiculous!" Nami said out loud to the empty room.

The answering silence seemed to be asking her if it was really so crazy to think she had developed romantic feelings for the swordsman. Not wanting to think about the whole thing just then or try to make any sort of decision Nami forcefully pushed thoughts of Zoro aside and got ready for the day. Yet try as she might thoughts about the swordsman bothered her all morning long. If she wasn't just a drunken hookup then why was he willing to pretend otherwise? It was frustrating and as the day wore on she grew more incensed until her answer was glaringly obvious. If she didn't have feelings for Zoro then she wouldn't care if he fought for her or not. The simple fact that she wasn't jumping gratefully at the out made it clear to herself that she didn't want one.

That evening she went to find the swordsman in the crow's nest ready to voice her opinions. She found him pulling a blanket out of one of the chests but he stopped and put it on the bench seat when she came in. He indicated for her to sit and after a slight hesitation – she felt more in control standing – she took a seat. Zoro didn't say anything just sat and waited for her to finally screw up the courage to speak.

"It wasn't a mistake. I like you, Zoro."

Zoro nodded and with a small smirk leaned in to kiss her. Nami put her hand up to stop him leaning away to give the clear message that just because she liked him it didn't mean she was going to fall right back into bed with him.

"What?" Zoro asked a tad cross.

"Well for starters, you baka, I'm not just throwing myself blindly at you. I admitted my feelings don't you have anything to say in return?"

Zoro scowled at her without making a move to speak and she wondered if she was ruining the chance by making him talk about feelings but she had her principles and so she held firm. Finally the swordsman sighed and raking his fingers over his face he gave in.

"I wouldn't have slept with you if I didn't feel the same, woman. Happy?"

"Well…" Nami hedged partially teasing.

"That's the only admission you're getting." He growled cheeks just a little bit pink.

Nami laughed lightly before leaning forward and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Ok, I believe you but I still think we should wait." She said pulling back.

"Wait? We've already had sex, what exactly are we waiting for?" Zoro asked incredulous.

"To be certain that both of us want this beyond the sex and the only way to be sure that this isn't just about sex is to remove it from the equation." Nami explained rationally.

"Fine, but I'll tell you right now it isn't just sex."

Nami's heart warmed at the plainly spoken comment and she looked away to compose herself. After a moment he stood up and picked up the pair of binoculars hanging on the peg, he did a cursory check in all directions clearly not spotting any potential danger as he hung them back up without a word.

"I guess I'll go, have a good night." Nami said straightening up.

"You could stay." Zoro suggested with a shrug.

Coming from most guys Nami would have suspected ulterior motives but she trusted the swordsman and knew there would be no attempt at seduction to get her to change her mind so she simply stretched out across the padded bench seat. After adjusting her skirt to make sure she was still properly covered she turned her head to look at Zoro.

"What do you usually do on your own up here?"

"Some form of training. Katas, weights or meditation."

"Meditation or napping?" she teased.

"Meditation, sea witch. So I can deal with you." Zoro growled but his dark eyes sparkled with amusement.

Nami just smiled and they fell into an easy silence.

The evening wore on and while they talked occasionally it was mostly quiet and Nami let herself just be there in that moment with the swordsman. She didn't know when she drifted off but she woke to Zoro gently shaking her. When she opened her eyes it was dark out, a lantern creating a soft glow in the enclosed nest.

"It's late, you probably want to return to your bed, this bench isn't that comfortable."

She blinked sleepily at Zoro before nodding in agreement. He handed her a flashlight and opened the trap door for her to leave by. They exchanged soft good nights at the door and then she left climbing back down to the deck. When she slipped between the cool sheets that still smelled of the swordsman she had some doubts about the whole waiting idea but she ignored them because libido aside it was still the right thing to do.

The following morning when Nami sat down for breakfast she began to panic ever so slightly. Question after question passed through her mind without answers. Were they dating now? Was she supposed to sit beside him? What would the others think? Did he expect her to act differently? Was she supposed to kiss him? She was seriously considering fleeing when the cause of her panic sauntered in. She froze slightly in her seat and waited but the swordsman was his usual self. A short "morning" in reply to Robin's greeting before sitting down at his regular spot at the corner of the table. He reached for some food and caught her eye. He held her gaze for a split second longer than normal before flashing a smile that no one save the ever observant Robin caught. Nami instantly relaxed and focused on keeping her food away from Luffy and the usual mealtime banter.

The Thousand Sunny was still several days out from the next island and after breakfast Nami double checked both the weather and their course before heading down to the aquarium room to relax. She was flipping through an old cartography book Robin had lent her when he came in. Her stomach did a little flip flop but she hid it under a scowl directed at the swordsman.

"Just because we are, whatever it is we are, don't think we need to hang out all the time."

If she expected her comment to bother the swordsman she was disappointed because Zoro just smirked in that infuriatingly sexy way of his before moving over to one of the cabinets.

"I'm not here to hang out. This just happens to be where I store the extra cloths for my polishing kit."

She might not have believed him but when he turned around he was holding a square box labeled 'COTTON PUFFS' with his name written over it in black sharpie.

"Why do you keep them in here?" She found herself asking.

"It's the easiest room to find that has extra space." He answered with a shrug.

Nami smiled to herself because she knew there were plenty of easily accessible storage closets that were empty but wasn't surprised that Zoro would have trouble finding them. She was about to turn back to her book when Zoro stopped in the doorway. He looked at her intently his desire evident in the darkness of his eyes. Nami felt her own desire grow under such a look and she lifted an eyebrow in a subtle challenge. The swordsman tossed the box onto a couch along with the kit she hadn't noticed earlier and strode over to her. There was no hesitation when he bent down and covered her mouth with his. Zoro's hand was firm on the back of her neck and she found the book slipping from her hands as she reached up to grip his shirt. The kiss escalated and she heard the soft knocking of his katana being removed with his free hand. She vaguely thought about stopping him but then his tongue licked across the seam of her lips and she gave herself up to the power of his mouth on hers. It wasn't long before they were stretched out across the couch in a heated make out session that pushed any thought out of her head. His hands were firm but gentle on her skin as he caressed her side coming achingly close to her breasts before sliding back down to cup her hip. She could feel the hard length of him against her stomach and it recalled long, pleasure hazy moments from the other night. She felt wanton and needy with him in a way she had never experienced before.

Suddenly the weight of Zoro's body was gone and she opened her eyes to see the swordsman pulling back into a sitting position frustration mixed in with desire etched across his features. The cause of his actions was clear in his expression and with a soft groan she arranged herself so she was sitting on the other side of the couch.

"Waiting, right." She said breathily her heart still racing.

Nami appreciated the effort it had took Zoro to stop as his unsatisfied desire was obvious even with the loose pants he wore. She watched as he stood up bending down to scoop her book up off the floor. Nami accepted the book and tried to return her attention to the history even as the swordsman settled himself on the floor with his blades and polishing kit. Despite her earlier comment about not hanging out she found she enjoyed having him nearby as they both went about their separate activities. She was soon absorbed in the book and was surprised to look up and find herself alone in the room. A quick glance confirmed that the swordsman had indeed left and while he certainly didn't need to tell her of his goings she was nonetheless annoyed that he hadn't bothered to at least say goodbye. The distant sound of Sanji calling them for lunch echoed through the halls and she put the book away heading up to the galley her own doubt making the irritation build. When she saw the swordsman sitting calmly at the table she forgot about not wanting the crew to know or even the fact that she had an audience as her insecurity came out in the form of an attack.

"You can't even say bye? That's just polite behaviour regardless of relationship status." Nami began.

Zoro looked up startled and momentarily confused by her sudden outburst. He opened his mouth to defend himself no doubt but she wasn't finished yet and she continued on before he could get a word out.

"This is why I wanted to wait. Day one and already you're losing interest. I hope you remember the other night well because that's the only—"

Nami was unceremoniously cut off by Zoro's mouth on hers his taste and scent invading her leaving her stunned. The swordsman pulled back, tightly controlled anger and passion hidden behind a blank facade and before she could react he had tossed her over his shoulder carrying her out to the deck. She pounded his back to no avail and as much as she shouted it wasn't until they were on the grass that he set her down.

"What the fuck, Zoro!?" she shouted slapping his chest heavily.

"Will you shut up?" the swordsman shouted back, "For someone who was so concerned about what others might think this morning you certainly have no trouble airing our business now."

Fury and embarrassment warred for dominance as Nami realized she hadn't even thought about their audience and Zoro had stopped her just short of announcing to the entire crew that they had slept together. Not that a few of them wouldn't figure it out at this point.

"It's your fault for just leaving like that." She retorted clinging to the fury.

"I didn't." Zoro said with a forced calm his entire body vibrating with contained anger.

"Bullshit!"

"You were absorbed in your damn book you didn't hear me. I called your name twice then figured I'd just leave you to it. Sorry for not ripping the book away just to say see you at lunch."

The last comment dripped with sarcasm hitting home just how stupid and insecure she was being. The insecurity rattled her and she hated that she felt that way.

"Look, I don't know what this is any more than you do but I do know that if you don't actually give this a try we're doomed from the start." Zoro continued the edge now gone from his voice.

The fight left her then and she ducked her head in shame.

"I know. Sorry."

When she looked up Zoro was smirking softly and she knew that she was forgiven.

"Are you really apologizing? Damn, I like this relationship thing."

A spark of irritation flared inside of her and she welcomed it as the return of normalcy.

"Shut up, baka." She grumbled with a glare.

Zoro just continued to smirk until Nami let a small smile settle on her lips.

"Come on, let's go eat. I'm sure everyone is dying to know what's going on." Nami said.

"I'm surprised the love cook hasn't stormed out to protect you."

Nami had to agree especially given the way Zoro had unceremoniously removed her from the galley. When they got back inside the others were waiting and she noticed Sanji was nearly combusting with anger and energy yet stayed in the corner. A quick look at Luffy's calm demeanor informed her that he had used his power as captain to keep everyone – particularly Sanji – from interfering.

"Sorry everyone. I overreacted and took it out on Zoro. Everything is fine, let's eat!"

Luffy met her gaze and with the intuition that never failed to amaze her he knew that things were fine and diverted the attention by digging into the lunch with a shout. The others quickly turned their attention to the food on the table lest their gluttonous captain eat it all. She had just filled her plate when a cup of tea appeared in front of her and she looked up to see Sanji looking at her with concern.

"Nami-swan are you really ok? If that baka did anything –"

Nami cut him off with a hand on his shoulder. "Its fine, Sanji-kun. Just a misunderstanding."

"B-but he kissed you and acted like a caveman." Sanji protested weakly.

"He'll be sorry about the latter as for the former he's allowed." Nami replied softly looking across the table and smiling.

She knew the confession hurt Sanji but she also knew he would get over it and the poor boy had never really had a chance to begin. Sanji bowed out gracefully and took his seat. Nami let out a breath and turned her attention to the food feeling a whole lot calmer.

A few days later the pressure had begun to build and there was an undeniable desire between Nami and Zoro. The crew had accepted their relationship at face value and things hadn't changed on the whole. Except that Nami would often join Zoro in the crow's nest at night and talk or they would simply be doing their own thing just in the vicinity of the other. She could tell that Zoro wanted to pursue the physical side of their relationship but she also knew that he wouldn't press her and it would be entirely up to her. With each kiss goodnight or heated look Nami would crack a little more until the one morning she woke up from a night of tossing and turning aching with unreleased passion. She knew then that this self-imposed celibacy was going to end, Zoro had proven that he wasn't just looking to get laid and Nami was fairly certain she was well on the path to falling in love and she was through with depriving herself.

She had planned on approaching the swordsman right after breakfast but the Grand Line loved to make a fool of those who planned and she never got the chance. The dishes hadn't yet been cleared away when the unmistakable sound of a cannon firing had them all racing to the deck. Sure enough the white and blue sail of the marines was visible in the distance. Luffy let out a whoop before jumping into action to prevent Sunny from receiving any damage. The crew worked in tandem to negate the threat and get away with minimal damage. Luckily they were able to keep the cannonballs from hitting and with some help from a storm Nami conjured and a coup de burst they got away cleanly. They didn't rest right off however staying on the lookout as they continued to put more distance between them and the marines.

"I think we're clear." Usopp said telescope in hand.

"Yosh! We win again." Luffy exclaimed with a laugh.

Slowly the others went off to do their regular activities with Usopp returning to the crow's nest to keep a lookout just in case. Nami felt the adrenaline seep out of her body as she calmly disassembled her ClimaTact and slipped the pieces into their straps along her thing for safekeeping. Now that the danger was gone she felt the excitement of her earlier decision return. It didn't take long to find Zoro where he was double checking some of the lines. His shirt was soaked through from Nami's storm and it did little to hide the corded muscle in his back and arms. He was a damn fine specimen of the male species and she wanted to experience him a lot sooner than tonight like she had been thinking.

He looked up as she approached – sneaking up on him was impossible – and a smirk crossed his features. She didn't speak just pressed right up against him reaching up to pull his head down to her. Zoro went easily and their mouths pressed together in a slow mating that stoked her desire as well as his judging by the way he was poking at her.

"Zoro, I'm done waiting." She said when they pulled apart.

"You sure? It's not just because of the fight?" The swordsman asked voice tight.

"I'm sure. I knew this morning the marines just attacked before I could tell you."

He looked like he might argue again so she kissed him hard putting every ounce of her desire and emotion into the touch so he had no choice but to believe her. Zoro did believe her and they spent the next hour proving some things are worth waiting for.


End file.
